Election Commission to Submit 28 Candidate Names to Supreme Court for Removal

The Election Commission (EC) has decided to submit 28 parliamentary candidates from various political parties to the Supreme Court's Election Division for name removal. This action is based on findings that these candidates are currently under restricted voting rights because they did not cast votes and did not provide reasons for their absence from voting, as per Section 35(2) of the 2018 Parliamentary Election Act. The EC is currently drafting the decision and preparing for regional election directors to file a petition with the Supreme Court. According to legal procedures, even if the court does not remove names before the election, these 28 candidates will still be considered candidates. If elected, the EC will not certify the results and will order a new election. The commission is also preparing to pursue criminal charges against the candidates under Article 151, which carries potential prison sentences of 1-10 years, fines of 20,000-200,000 baht, and a 20-year election rights suspension. Party leaders will also face potential criminal liability for certifying these candidates.