Bangkok: The Constitutional Court has dismissed the objection raised by Ratchanee Polsue, who faced an order from the Election Commission for a new election and revocation of her rights. The Court maintained that prohibitions on campaigning after 6 pm before election day and restrictions on local candidates providing assets to temples and associations to influence voting do not breach the Constitution.
According to Thai News Agency, the Constitutional Court voted 8 to 1 in favor of the Local Government Election Act, Section 64 (4). This section allows campaigning from the date of a new election order until 6:00 p.m. on the day before election day, aligning with the Constitution's Sections 26 and 27. The majority of the Court's judges, including Mr. Panya Uthachan and Mr. Udom Sittiwirattham, supported this ruling.
The dissenting judge was Mr. Nakarin Mektrairat. Furthermore, the Court unanimously agreed that Section 65, which prohibits candidates from offering incentives to voters, does not violate the Constitution. This includes offering money or benefits to institutions like temples or educational centers to sway votes.
The case stemmed from an objection forwarded by the Court of Appeal Region 4 regarding Ms. Ratchanee Phonsue, the former president of the Roi Et Provincial Administrative Organization and MP for Roi Et District 3 of the Palang Pracharath Party. She questioned whether the Election of Members of Local Councils or Local Administrators Act conflicted with constitutional provisions, particularly Sections 26 and 27.