The Election Commission has delayed consideration of a proposal to file a lawsuit to recover 3 billion baht in damages incurred by the voiding of the Feb 2 election.
EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen said Tuesday the subject of seeking compensation for those deemed responsible for the vacated election would not be raised at its meeting today because the working group assigned to gather evidence had asked to postpone submitting its report, claiming it needed more time.
The EC chairman said he believed the matter needed careful consideration, as it was very sensitive and involved many people. The EC thus will not consider a lawsuit until the working group completed its report, Mr Somchai said.
In December, EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said his office was collecting evidence to back up a lawsuit that would seek compensation for wasted state funds.
On March 21 last year, the Constitutional Court ruled 6-3 to annul the elections on the basis that no balloting was done in 28 constituencies in the South. Voting could not take place in eight southern provinces because no candidates were registered due to disruptions caused by anti-government protesters.
Mr Somchai declined to say who would be deemed accountable for the losses. He said only that the EC tried to warn the Yingluck Shinawatra government that the Feb 2 election would be a waste of resources, but the administration ignored the warning and pressed ahead.