Former Democrat MP Asks Constitutional Court to Investigate Election Commission Over Ballot Barcode Controversy

On February 20, 2026, at 10:30 AM, Chanchai Israsenaruks, a former Democrat Party MP, submitted a petition to the Ombudsman's Office requesting a Constitutional Court review of the Election Commission's actions during the parliamentary elections. Chanchai argued that the barcodes on voting ballots violate Constitutional Article 85, which requires voting to be direct and secret. He claims the barcodes allow tracing of individual voting choices, potentially compromising voter privacy. He suggested the Election Commission faces two potential consequences: criminal prosecution or a compensation payment of 8 billion baht. Chanchai emphasized that the barcoded ballots differ from sample ballots sent to households, which did not contain barcodes. The former MP stated he is seeking to protect citizens' rights and expose potential electoral fraud. He challenged the Election Commission to take responsibility for what he considers a clear legal violation and warned of potential civil and criminal legal actions.