The government does not share any of the responsibility because it has done everything in accordance with the law and the Constitution, Prommin said. The EC must take responsibility because it organised the election, he said.

Asked if the government should be held responsible for issuing a Royal Decree to dissolve the House without justification, Prommin said the government acted correctly.

"We have ... followed the legal experts [in making any political move],'' he said.

Meanwhile, Thai Rak Thai Party leaders met to decide what their next move would be after today's meeting of a consortium of courts on whether to nullify the April 2 election.

Deputy leader Pongthep Thepkanchana said the party had decided to go ahead and field candidates in the third round of elections for the sake of democracy. "If we do not run in the election, there will not be a Parliament,'' he said.

He dismissed the move to have all Thai Rak Thai Party MPs who were endorsed resign to pave the way for a new election. He said if Thai Rak Thai Party constituency MPs were to resign, the Constitution stipulates that by-elections must be organised.

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation