With less than 72 hours to go before the election on Sunday, the Election Commission could still prove to be a white knight by coming to the rescue to ease the political tension.

The election seems likely to proceed unless the EC intervenes, despite the likelihood that more havoc would ensue if people go to the polls. As the designated organiser of the ballot, the EC therefore is under increasing pressure to take action.

The current commission - the second set of appointees since the body was set up - has been heavily criticised as a pro-government agency, particularly since the 2005 ballot.

When these commissioners organised their first election last year, the EC set a new standard by officially endorsing all of the winning candidates, claiming they had to do so in order to open Parliament within 30 days. But the first set of commissioners did not endorse all elected MPs and managed to call two quick by-elections in seats where candidates were struck out before Parliament opened.

The panel later suspended or disqualified, with yellow or red cards respectively, those who were believed to have violated election laws.

During that process there were allegations that MPs had lobbied the EC to not disqualify them, but, despite these and other doubts about fraud, the EC proceeded to bar only a small number of MPs from taking office.

Since then the EC has operated under a cloud of doubt about its status as an independent body.

It has also made decisions since caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra dissolved the House that seemed to favour the government, such as setting an election date within the very near future.

With only 37 days to campaign, the Thai Rak Thai Party seemed to have some hefty advantages going into the vote. The former opposition parties, in turn, boycotted the election.

Although there were suggestions to postpone the election, to provide more time for the other parties, the EC refused to do so. Panel chairman Vasana Puemlarp claimed that was the government's duty.

During the campaign, some organisations also filed complaints with the EC against the caretaker premier, but the commission has appeared reluctant to investigate.

Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban accused key figures in the ruling party of hiring small, little-known political parties to take part in the April 2 general election, to present a semblance of an opposition in the absence of the boycotting parties. The Democrats released a video statement supporting the claim - all to no avail.

The latest development is that the People's Alliance for Democracy and a group of 60 law lecturers from 14 universities have asked the Commission to disqualify Thaksin for electoral abuses.

In their complaint, the strongest accusation was that Thaksin had distributed money to vocational school teachers.

They said the fact that Thaksin's mother-in-law, Pojanee na Pomphet, handed out T-shirts at a pro-government rally held by the Caravan of The Poor at Chatuchak Park constituted evidence against Thaksin as well.

There has been no shortage of complaints submitted to the EC, but whether these current commissioners are prepared to act remains to be seen.

Somroutai Sapsomboon

The Nation