The Ombudsman on Monday asked the Constitutional Court to order the parliament to postpone the next vote for prime minister, and to rule on the rejected renomination of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat.
Pol Lt Col Keerop Kritteeranont, secretary-general of the Office of the Ombudsman, said 17 complaints had been filed objecting to the parliament's resolution rejecting the renomination of Mr Pita for prime minister and declaring it a violation of their constitutional rights.
The complaints came from both members of the public and members of the parliament, he said.
Some complainants proposed the Constitutional Court postpone the next parliamentary vote for prime minister pending a ruling by the court. The next round voting is scheduled for Thursday, he said.
The Ombudsman accordingly asked the Constitutional Court to postpone the prime ministerial vote by the House and the Senate pending a ruling, to prevent any damage that would be difficult to mend in the future, the secretary-general said.
MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulanon said earlier on Monday that the party had petitioned the Ombudsman to ask the Constitutional Court to rule if Mr Pita could be renominated.
MFP MP Panyarat Pusitanon (Nonthaburi) later confirmed she and 16 other MFP MPs had jointly filed one of the complaints made to the Office of the Ombudsman.
The parliament on July 19 rejected the renomination of Mr Pita for prime minister by majority vote on a procedural issue. His opponents argued that parliamentary regulation 41 bans the resubmission of a failed motion during the same session, and that included Mr Pita's renomination.
Pro-Pita parties argued that the nomination of Mr Pita for prime minister was not a general motion and should not be subject to regulation 41.
Also on Monday, 115 law lecturers from 19 institutions expressed their opposition to the parliament's passing of the resolution on July 19 to block the renomination of Mr Pita.