Lawmakers yesterday failed to come to a conclusion on the draft organic law for the state audit agency even after a consultation between House Speaker Chai Chidchob and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Between House deliberations, Chai took time to consult MPs and Cabinet members on how to proceed with the stalled draft bill. Although the bill was passed last year, it could not be enacted because the Senate vote fell short of a simple majority.
The House has been left with the choice of either holding another vote to back the bill or vetoing it. The issue has become critical because of the row over the position of the auditor-general.
Abhisit said Chai should ask the Senate to hold another vote on the bill to send a clear signal on passing or rejecting it. He said the House should not intervene before the upper chamber had made its position clear.
In regard to the auditor-general position, he cited the Council of State ruling that the nomination process could be activated under transitional provisions without having to wait for enactment of the bill.
After Abhisit's remarks, Democrat MP Warong Dechgitvigrom tried to move a motion for a debate, but opposition MPs voiced objection on the ground that they were unprepared, since the bill was not on the legislative agenda.
As the coalition and opposition lawmakers took the floor to air their respective views on whether a debate should take place, Chai cut short the consultation and ruled that he would work out a time slot for the full debate at a later date.
Reacting to what the prime minister said in the House, Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondet said he was surprised that the government would want senators to do a repeat vote on the same legislation.
Under legislative rules, any bill that passes but falls short of a simple majority should be construed as a senatorial rejection that must be sent back for a revote by the House, Prasopsuk said.
He said he was uncertain that the Senate had the mandate to revote on a bill it had previously rejected, adding that should the House send the bill back, he might have to seek a judicial review by the Constitution Court before deciding on the next move.
He also revealed that the selection committee for the position of auditor-general would convene on September 15 to debate whether it can activate the nomination process before the enactment of the organic law.