"Military assignments will have a direct bearing on the next general election because soldiers are responsible for tallying votes and certain troop movements can sway votes," Admiral Bannawit Kengrien said.

It was his third public statement on the issue in the space of a week despite being reprimanded for his earlier comments by caretaker Defence Minister Thamarak Isarangura.

Bannawit voiced suspicion about the alleged rigging of the military line-up and quoted many legal experts as saying that the government was obliged to seek the EC's scrutiny in the run-up to a general election.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to decide on whether to involve the EC before forwarding the new military line-up for royal approval when he returns from abroad on Friday.

The government has cited precedents since 2000 showing that it could bypass the EC because, unlike other bureaucratic appointments, the military appointment process did not involve the Cabinet, which could exert partisan influence.

It has also offered to ask the Council of State for a legal opinion on the issue.

Bannawit's staff officer, Air Vice Marshal Prasith Thananaken, said the government should seek a judicial review directly from the Constitution Court instead of stalling by seeking a non-binding view from its legal advisory body.

Retiried Rearadmiral Sophon Thongkamwong yesterday filed a complaint to Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinasulanonda accusing outgoing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for unfair military reshuffle. In the complaint, Sophon said his son in law, viceadmiral Therdsak Promsiri deserved to be promoted to Royal Thai Marines Corps chief because of his seniority and competency but Thaksin planned to award the position to his relative viceadmiral Kiatisak Damapong who is less senior than his son-in-law. Kiatisak is a step-brother of Pojaman Shinawatra, Thaksin's wife.