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Senate passes poll bills but rejects some changes

Bangkok Post
Published: 26/04/2011

The Senate yesterday passed three election-related bills after the Lower House showed huge support for them.

The three bills - the organic laws of the 2007 constitution - set new guidelines for the election of the single constituency members of the Lower House and the Senate, as well as the operations of the Election Commission and political parties after the amendments in the charter.

During the Senate meeting, chaired by deputy Senate Speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich, a majority voted down proposed changes to some sections of the bills made by the Senate scrutiny committee.

The committee suggested that the election law should allow government officials to vote in advance if they are appointed to work outside their residential areas on election day.

But most senators reasoned this suggestion would make it appear as though the authorities would be the only group entitled to participate in advance voting.

They finally voted 115 to 3 in the third reading to pass the bill relating to the election of MPs and senators, the same version as passed by the Lower House.

The majority also voted to maintain another two bills' versions endorsed by the Lower House.

They voted 114 to 4 to pass the bill on the responsibility of the Election Commission in the coming general election and 114 to 5 to pass the bill covering the operations of political parties.

The three bills will be sent back to the Lower House for acknowledgement without a need to set up a joint committee of the two houses for further deliberation.

The process to enact the three laws has so far gone smoothly.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who plans to dissolve Parliament in the first week of May, earlier asked legislators to speed up consideration of the bills, which are required to kick start the election.

The election is likely to be called between late June and early July.

 

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/233710/senate-passes-poll-bills-but-rejects-some-changes