The question of whether Pita Limjaroenrat of the Move Forward Party is eligible for re-nomination as prime minister in the parliamentary vote scheduled for Wednesday will be raised for discussion with House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Tuesday, senator Somchai Sawaengkarn said.
He said Mr Wan has called a meeting with the whips of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday ahead of the second round of voting to select the prime minister on Wednesday.
Mr Somchai said he will propose that parliamentary meeting regulation No 41 be taken up for consideration at the meeting.
Parliament meeting regulation No 41 states that a motion tabled for consideration and then rejected cannot be resubmitted in the same parliamentary session.
This means Mr Pita cannot be re-nominated, Mr Somchai said.
"If on July 19 Mr Pita is re-nominated for the post, there will certainly be a debate whether this can be done for fear that it may be against the law. If Mr Pita is endorsed, a petition over the legality will be made.
"In my opinion, the first nomination for Mr Pita to be prime minister has been rejected. Only the nomination of a new candidate can be considered a new motion," Mr Somchai said.
Seri Suwanphanon, also a senator, voiced the same opinion.
He said Section 88 of the constitution should be strictly observed. That is to say, parties which have proposed their prime ministerial candidates should be allowed to take turns to make their own nominations, one after another, he added.
Senator Kittisak Rattanavaraha voiced the same opinion as his colleagues. He said the Move Forward Party should back down from its stand to amend the lese majeste law, Section 112 of the Criminal Code.