In a setback to the caretaker administration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thailand’s Constitutional Court this afternoon has ruled the kingdom’s elections body has the legal authority to postpone snap polls scheduled for Feb. 2.
The unanimous ruling from the court likely settles a struggle between the Elections Commission, which said it sought a delay due to safety concerns and the Pheu Thai-led government, which argued the constitution explicitly mandates new elections be held within 60 days after the dissolution of parliament. Yingluck officially dissolved the parliament on Dec. 9.
The court didn’t outright cancel the election, but ordered in a seven-to-one vote that Yingluck should negotiate a new polling date with commission chairman Supachai Somcharoen. One of the court’s nine judges was absent.
One of the nine judges was absent from the session, The Nation reported.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court was established under the 1997 consitution. It’s most famous rulings include its order dissolving the Shinawatra-aligned Thai Rak Thai Party in 2006 and banning many of its members from politics.
Photo: Constitutional Court of Thailand
