The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) will present two draft organic laws, one on the election of MPs and another on the selection of senators, to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) today, according to committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan.
The CDC has finished drafting the bills, which are the last of 10 draft organic laws written by the CDC, Mr Meechai said yesterday.
He said the two crucial pieces of legislation -- which will set new rules governing the election of House of Representatives members and the selection of senators -- should be free of problems during deliberation by the NLA.
The CDC and NLA have worked together on the content of the bills, he said.
The NLA has a clear idea of what the bills are about, which should eliminate the possibility of conflicts over their content during debate and scrutiny by the assembly members.
However, Mr Meechai said a difference of opinion could occur when the bills are put to a general debate in the assembly.
He said only 30 lawmakers worked with the CDC during the drafting process and now they face scrutiny by more than 200 assembly members.
Mr Meechai declined to comment on criticism by political parties that the bill on the election of MPs would give an unfair advantage to military figures wanting to contest the next election.
They think this would enable the National Council for Peace and Order to hold on to power in a post-election government.
Meanwhile, election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn has complained the CDC gave the Election Commission (EC) little time to vet the bills.
He said the bills were sent to EC last Friday and the CDC wanted them back yesterday. The EC has had barely three days to study the measures.
He said if the CDC was sincere in wishing to gather feedback from the EC on the bills, it should have allowed more study time.
The CDC should have finished drafting the bills two months ago to allow the commission time to go over the proposed legislation.
.jpg?w=600)
