Senators push to postpone new EC appointments

Tewarit going say that, looking back to the previous Senate session in May 2023, even without a House of Representatives, an extraordinary session might be convened to examine postponing or extending the background check committee's deadlines. This indicates that it is possible to move forward with the process. The fact that a large number of senators are being investigated by an organization we are about to appoint appears to be a conflict of interest, comparable to appointing a committee to decide or investigate a case in which we are accused, and the number of senators facing prosecution exceeds half, which is equivalent to a majority vote. Regarding persons' approval to serve in independent organizations.

Tewarit highlighted that there is now a lack of confidence in the ECT’s performance. The Senate has previously approved three EC members. If they approve two more, the Senate will have approved five out of seven members. If he were on the committee investigating the nominations, he would question them about their thoughts on the legal cases involving Senate member selection. He sees two probable responses: replying based on perceived difficulties or answering in a way that pleases this Senate, potentially allowing them to be selected to the Executive Committee. The current structure and method contain conflicts of interest.

The selection process for these nominees is troublesome. I believe that because of these flaws, the filtering process should be halted before they spread, perpetuating the crisis of confidence in independent institutions, particularly the EC, which is already experiencing difficulties. This might extend the crisis of confidence for another seven years. Delaying the selecting process does not reduce the power that many believe will be reduced in the Senate. Delaying it does not take away power until a decision or ruling is rendered about the Senate." "Those people are innocent and unaccountable. On that day, they still had complete ability to approve them. As a result, a resolution was submitted to postpone the ratification of the two Election Commissioners until there is clarity about the existing Election Commission and the verdict on the Senate selection process," Tewarit stated.

Ms. Nanthana went on to say that with 138 Senators now facing charges, she believes approving the two remaining Election Commissioners is improper and a conflict of interest. She encouraged the majority of Senators to have a conscience and stop authorizing nominations to independent bodies, including Election Commissioners, on February 26th, as doing so obviously displays a conflict of interest by choosing individuals to handle their own case.

She further said the problem arises from the constitutional process, which states that Senators are elected independently and are not accountable to the public. Their selection of people to work in autonomous groups is unusual. Instead of letting Senators elected by the people to undertake this duty, this cycle poses numerous concerns, as political matters frequently recur to independent organizations. "And if the Senate approves two more Election Commissioners on February 26th, it will have authorized five already, raising the total to seven. This raises concerns about the Senate collusion investigation, which has been ongoing for seven months with no indictments. If two more are allowed on February 26th, we can see how the Senate collusion case will conclude.

As such, I want to reach into question the dignity and legality of the 138 Senators who have been charged and are currently carrying out their responsibilities, selecting Election Commissioners and then judging their own cases, including those related to the election. I urge society to pay close attention, since on February 26th, will the majority of the Senate still approve the two additional Election Commissioners? Will Senator Tewarit's motion be included? How will the procedure continue from here to the end?" Ms. Nanthana stated.

Regarding the progress of gathering signatures from 20 Senators to petition the Constitutional Court to declare the election unlawful, Ms. Nanthana indicated that the draft petition was completed today, which she believes is a good sign because the minority and independent Senators are now involved. We've received calls concerning this, so we believe we can compile the material fast this time and get it to the President of the Senate as soon as feasible. However, it is crucial to emphasize that following receipt of the matter, the President of the Senate wishes to use the same rules as when receiving matters from the majority of Senators, ensuring a prompt submission to the Constitutional Court. We are aiming to complete this within the next week.