Judge pulls out in bid to oust EC and force revamp
A woman prostrates herself before Election Commission chairman Vasana Puemlarp as he makes an emotional speech yesterday. She later embraced the beleaguered official in a show of support.
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A Supreme Court judge yesterday withdrew his candidacy to fill a vacant position in the Election Commission (EC) in a tactical move to force the four incumbent members to step aside and restore the credibility of the electoral process.
"I hope my candidacy withdrawal will allow the full bench of the Supreme Court to step in and revamp the EC completely," judge Kasem Wirawong said. Kasem urged the EC members to follow his lead, because they had lost the public's trust in managing the polls. Under the court's quota, Kasem was nominated for the job to succeed Jaral Buranapansri, who died last year. His nomination process stalled because the EC selection committee in charge of naming his rival candidate, could not function due to the lack of a quorum. Under relevant provisions, the Senate is slated to vote on the nominations based on the court's quota and the selection committee's recommendations. On Tuesday, the EC members appeared defiant over the demand for their collective resignation, arguing that their departure at this juncture might lead to confusion because of faulty procedures to name their successors. The presidents of three top courts called on the commissioners to "sacrifice" themselves by quitting in order to pave way for the Supreme Court to bypass the selection process, by invoking Article 138 of the Constitution. The judiciary cannot step in if the incumbent EC remains in office. Another judge, Supat Suthimanas said the EC had no justification to stay on in office.
Kesinee Tangkhiew The Nation
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