Senators urge justice minister’s removal over election probe
A group of senators is advocating for the dismissal of Justice Minister Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong due to the Department of Special Investigation’s (DSI) plan to examine complaints linked to last year’s Senate election.
The DSI is set to convene on Tuesday, February 25, to deliberate on whether to pursue an investigation into vote-fixing allegations. This follows demands from unsuccessful candidates urging the Election Commission (EC) to intensify its inquiries or transfer them to the DSI.
On February 16, Pol. Col. Tawee, responsible for overseeing the DSI, stated that the DSI had received Senate election complaints and discovered ample grounds for the allegations. According to him, some accusations involve criminal offences under the Criminal Code, suggesting the DSI should handle them.
Kriangkrai Srisak, a deputy Senate speaker, indicated that senators intend to seek the justice minister’s removal over alleged misconduct. However, he provided no further details.
A petition will be presented to the Constitutional Court via the Senate speaker, with the Senate aiming for a general debate on the issue without a vote, expected to occur during the current Parliament session.
He also mentioned that a legal team has been tasked with collecting evidence against those who have defamed the Senate, with impending police complaints.
A Senate committee will summon relevant agencies to clarify their authority in the case and address the accusations against senators under the Criminal Code.
Kriangkrai expressed concern that the allegations have tarnished the Senate’s reputation and hinted that they might be politically motivated, potentially targeting blue bloc senators related to the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), a government coalition partner. It is widely acknowledged that approximately 150 senators in this faction are affiliated with the BJT.
DSI’s authority
Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesperson and BJT member, stated yesterday, February 22, that the DSI possesses the authority to investigate criminal cases that significantly affect the economy or are complex in nature.
However, he doubted that the DSI’s jurisdiction would extend to cases involving election laws and constitutional violations. He highlighted that the senators were selected according to the Senate election law and the Constitution, with endorsement from the EC.
Karom questioned whether the DSI’s decision to accept the case for special investigation and legal action against the senators would align with the law. He noted that the justice minister overseeing the DSI, which operates under the Special Investigation Act, must adhere to the Constitution.
He further queried whether the DSI would be deemed to breach the Constitution if the senators were removed from office as a result of the investigation, cautioning that an agency exercising power against a legislative body might risk violating the Constitution.
EC Chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong announced yesterday that the DSI had already relayed its findings on the complaints against the senators to the EC for evaluation.
The DSI reportedly found sufficient grounds for the allegations and wishes to assume control of the case from the EC. Ittiporn added that the EC would convene a meeting to discuss the matter.
The allegations involve criminal offences listed under the Criminal Code and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, according to sources citing the DSI’s investigation.
The current 200-member Senate was selected from 20 professional groups through a month-long process involving intra- and inter-professional group voting at local, provincial, and national levels last year.
Concerns have been raised regarding alleged collusion to manipulate the results, reported Bangkok Post.
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