Charter court to deliver verdict on Move Forward case on August 7
Constitutional Court’s 9 judges believe they have enough information to rule on the case, say the row is over technicalities
The Constitutional Court’s nine judges decided on Wednesday that they have enough information and evidence to issue a ruling in the case against the Move Forward Party. The verdict will be delivered on August 7.
The charter court’s office announced that the judges met on Wednesday to resume their deliberations on the case, which was filed by the Election Commission (EC), and decided that they had enough information and evidence to go ahead.
The judges are scheduled to gather at 9.30am on August 7 and will deliver their verdict at 3pm in the Constitutional Court’s room on the third floor.
In the lawsuit, the EC alleged that Move Forward had violated Article 92 of the Political Party Act by behaving in a manner that could be seen as an attempt to topple Thailand’s constitutional monarchy. The EC also deemed this behaviour hostile to the monarchy.
The EC based its lawsuit on a charter court ruling in January, in which the court found the election campaign led by then-Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat unconstitutional. Move Forward promised to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code or the draconian lese majeste law.
Move Forward had earlier called on the court to allow it to present verbal testimonies from witnesses to try and disprove the allegation. However, the court asked the party to submit its defence and witness testimonies in writing.
The court announced that the judges had agreed during consultation that the case was a dispute on legal technicalities and that the judges believed they had enough information to make a ruling. Hence,
they decided to end the inquiry as per Article 58 of the Constitutional Court Trial Procedural Act.
The court also announced that if the EC and Move Forward wanted to make a closing statement, they could do so by submitting it in writing within July 24.
The court said other documents and statements submitted by the EC and Move Forward would be taken into account when the judges make their final decision.
