Thai opposition says will legally challenge election
Iran Press TV
Tue Feb 4, 2014 9:37AM GMT
Thailand's opposition Democratic Party says it will legally challenge the general election of February 2.
The Democratic Party, led by former prime minister, Suthep Thaugsuban, announced on Tuesday that it plans to file two separate petitions with Thailand's Constitutional Court.
The first complaint regards the disputed ballot, which was boycotted by the opposition party.
"We will argue that the election violated the constitution, in particular Article 68, which prohibits people from undermining the constitutional monarchy and trying to grab power through unconstitutional means," said Democratic Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut.
The second calls for the dissolution of the ruling party for announcing the state of emergency, which meant the election "could not be held under normal circumstances."
The vote was called by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in an attempt to resolve the long-drawn-out unrest in the country.
On February 2, anti-government protesters disrupted the election by blocking the delivery of ballots to many polling stations and forcing authorities to cancel voting in parts of the capital, Bangkok, and several southern provinces.
Some seven people were wounded in vote-related skirmishes on Sunday.
On January 26, the opposition said one of anti-government protest leaders was shot dead while giving a speech to demonstrators on a Bangkok street.
The demonstrations were triggered on October 31, when the government proposed an amnesty bill that could have pardoned the prime minister's brother and former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, setting the scene for his return to the country.
The ex-premier, ousted in 2006, has been in self-exile since 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence over corruption.
MM/HSN/HRB
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