Poll inspector row ‘will not delay election’

A motion seeking a legal amendment on the selection of inspectors for the general election expected to take place in February next year is not expected to further delay the poll, according to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

NLA whip Somchai Sawaengkarn said yesterday the proposed amendment involves the organic law governing the Election Commission (EC), which means the scrutiny process can take up to a year to complete.

The current NLA may be dissolved before scrutiny of the amendment draft is finished, which means lawmakers have no intention to stall the election with the motion, he said.

He stressed the NLA is taking into consideration the regime’s roadmap for the election when it submits any draft laws, saying the motion seeking to amend the organic law is not on the NLA’s agenda.

The issue is undergoing a public hearing process with the Secretariat of the Senate, with public opinion being gathered on the matter on its website: www. senate.go.th

Poll inspectors will play an important role in the elections and are tasked with investigating poll complaints and forwarding them to the EC for consideration, which can result in the suspension of an election or even change the outcome in a constituency.

The outgoing EC chaired by Supachai Somcharoen has selected 616 poll inspectors to be deployed in 77 provinces including Bangkok. Their names have been put up for public scrutiny before they are expected to be officially announced next month.

However, there has been criticism that some election inspectors lack experience and have political affiliations, which has prompted the NLA to want to amend the law governing the selection process.

Politicians have denounced the NLA’s move as a tactic to put off the elections.

Mahannop Dejvithak, an NLA member who supported the motion, said his group has put forth the amendment after taking into account whether it would affect the political roadmap.

He said the group has no ulterior motive while noting that he could not say if the motion would be withdrawn.

According to Mr Mahannop, he signed up to amend the organic law because he found the rules on the selection of poll inspectors issued by the outgoing EC as “unacceptable”.

The most questionable is the composition of the panel tasked with selecting poll inspectors, he said.