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Pita Limjaroenrat, prime minister candidate and leader of the Move Forward Party, speaks to the media during a press conference after the first Parliamentary session in Bangkok, Thailand, July 4, 2023. /CFP
Thailand's Election Commission (EC) recommended Wednesday that the Constitutional Court suspend prime minister frontrunner Pita Limjaroenrat over allegations he broke campaign rules as an MP.
The referral comes a day before Pita is due to contest a vote on the premiership in the bicameral parliament. He has the backing of eight parties in an alliance seeking to form the next government.
The Move Forward Party, led by Pita, later accused the EC of rushing its referral of the case and said Pita should have been given a chance to respond and refute the allegations.
The poll body was investigating a complaint alleging Pita's ownership of shares in media firm iTV at the time of his registration made him ineligible to stand in the May 14 election.
Pita has maintained iTV has not been an active mass media organization for many years.
Last month a special committee to investigate whether he was qualified to run for office was set up by the EC.
According to AFP news agency and local media reports, EC Chairman Ittiporn Boonprakong confirmed the body had recommended the court suspend Pita as an MP.
It is unclear when the Constitutional Court may rule, should it accept the case, although the body is due to meet Wednesday.
The decision will cast yet more uncertainty over parliament's vote for prime minister on Thursday. Under Thailand's rules, even if Pita is suspended as an MP, he is still eligible to run for prime minister.
(With input from agencies)
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Copyright © 2023 CGTN. 京ICP备16065310号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466