The Council for National Security (CNS) yesterday dismissed concerns about uncertainty over the general election and asserted the restoration of democracy was on course.

"The CNS will leave it up to the people to decide whether to accept or reject the draft constitution in a referendum but elections will take place regardless of the outcome of the referendum," CNS spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

Sansern was reacting to news reports of an anti-coup campaign calling for the rejection of the constitution.

He said the 2006 Interim Constitution allowed for the CNS to choose a past charter as a basis to hold elections if the new charter failed to pass a referendum.

The charter drafting was progressing as planned and public participation was assured. Pressure groups should not try to reject the draft constitution because they did not like one particular provision or another, he said.

In an Abac Poll Research Centre survey released yesterday almost 52 per cent of 1,129 respondents wanted a general election within three months instead of later this year.

The survey was conducted in Bangkok and surrounding areas between Wednesday and Thursday in the wake of the resignation of MR Pridiyathorn Devakula as deputy prime minister and finance minister.

About half the respondents were worried about escalating tensions triggered by Pridiyathorn's resignation and wanted the election moved forward to overcome political uncertainty. Constitution Drafting Assembly chairman Noranit Setabutr cautioned against hasty elections that might affect the quality of the new constitution.

Noranit said the rush to complete the draft would impair solicitation of public opinion making the draft unresponsive to people's aspirations.

"I understand the current political situation but the draft has not been completed, nor is it ready for the polls," he said.

Noranit's deputy Seri Suwanpanont said charter writers were ready to be flexible with any reasonable request from the government and the Council for National Security.

"I think it is possible to speed up the charter drafting if the CNS deems it necessary," he said.

Charter writer Komson Phokong disagreed and said the drafting was on a fixed timetable. "December should be the earliest date for a general election," he said.