Thai court cancels April poll, orders new elections

Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that the inconclusive April 2 general election was unconstitutional and said a new poll should be held to try to resolve months of political deadlock.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that the inconclusive April 2 general election was unconstitutional and said a new poll should be held to try to resolve months of political deadlock. “The Constitutional Court voted 8 to 6 that the elections were unconstitutional and voted 9 to 5 to hold a new election,’’ Judge Ura Wangomklang told reporters.

A spokesman later confirmed the ruling and said the government should set the date for a new poll. However, in a sign of the constitutional confusion which is likely to ensue, a senior bureaucrat said it was actually up to the Election Commission (EC) to decide.

“It is the EC’s job, not the government’s,” said Cabinet Secretary-General Bovornsak Uwanno. “The EC will have to talk to every party to find an appropriate election date.’’

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Earlier, another judge said the ruling would resolve the political crisis, although a clear way out of what revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has described as a “mess’’ does not appear to be imminent.

The impasse was brought about by a boycott of the snap April poll by the Opposition Democrat Party that left empty seats in the Parliament and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra unable to form a government.

Thaksin stood aside after a strong protest vote but members of his Thai Rak Thai party, including the deputy who has taken over his day-to-day duties, have said he would be eligible to run again if the poll was nullified.

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