Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanich on Wednesday forwarded to the Constitution Court a senators' petition seeking a ruling on whether Varathep Rattanakorn is qualified for a cabinet post.
The petition was submitted to Mr Nikom by 24 senators led by Prasarn Maruekhapitak, a senator in the Group of 40, . It argued that Mr Varathep might not be eligible for a cabinet position.
Mr Varathep was convicted and given a two-year suspended jail sentence in 2009 for malfeasance in connection with the two- and three-digit lottery while he was serving as a deputy finance minister in the Thaksin Shinawatra government.
The petition will be first examined for verification before being considered by the Constitution Court.