PARLIAMENT President Chuan Leekpai said today (March 12) the third reading of constitution amendments, now contained in a draft bill, will take place on March 17-18 while shrugging of a threat to sue House members who cast a vote on the these key changes during the session, Sanook.com said.
Chuan said the third reading will proceed because it is already on the agenda and this cannot be changed be it to suspend or delay it. Meanwhile the House’s law department opined that voting can take place.
Should some members not participate in the third reading is not a problem, he said, pointing out that the Constitutional Court’s full ruling handed down yesterday had not yet been obtained and details had still to be studied. However Parliament has to follow the law and stick to what the House experts had opined.
In its ruling yesterday the majority of judges at the Constitutional Court stated that Parliament has the authority to amend the Constitution to pave the way for setting up a charter drafting body but also stated that a referendum must first be held to ascertain whether the public want a new constitution and once the charter draft is completed another referendum has to be held to obtain public approval.
Regarding a comment by Mr Srisuwan Chanya that if members of the House voted for these amendments in the third reading he would sue them at National Anti-Corruption Commission, Chuan said it is his right to do so and no one is stopping him.
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Top and Home Page: Parliament President Chuan Leekpai. Photos: NNT
