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Barcode on ballots sparks legal challenge against 7 Election Commissioners

Barcode on ballots sparks legal challenge against 7 Election Commissioners

Post Today•Politics•1d ago

Reader Briefing

A legal challenge has been filed against the Election Commission (EC) of Thailand, alleging that the inclusion of barcodes on ballots violates election laws and compromises the secrecy of voting.

  • •A lawsuit has been filed against the Election Commission of Thailand concerning the use of barcodes on election ballots.
  • •The lawsuit claims that barcodes on ballots can link 'ballots' to 'stubs' with voter names, potentially revealing how individuals voted.
  • •This is alleged to violate Article 85 of the Constitution, which mandates secret voting, and Section 96 of the MP Election Act.
  • •The accused EC Commissioners could face imprisonment, fines, or disqualification if found guilty.

Overview

  • •A legal movement is targeting the actions of the Election Commission (EC) potentially compromising the 'secrecy' of elections.
  • •The core of the lawsuit is the EC printing barcodes/QR codes on election ballots, which plaintiffs argue can link voters to their choices.
  • •If found guilty, the Election Commissioners could face 1-5 years imprisonment and disqualification from electoral rights.
  • •The EC asserts that printing the codes follows regulation 29 for safety and to prevent ballot manipulation, maintaining voting secrecy.
  • •The EC stated that the voting process remains 100% secret as stub control is kept separately and not disclosed unless a recount is ordered.
  • •The current seven Election Commissioners hold the highest decision-making authority for elections within the organization.
  • •The EC's policy decisions regarding elections are made through joint consideration and voting by the board.
  • •The specific date of the lawsuit filing or alleged infraction is not mentioned in the article.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Post Today (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: Post Today (Original)

Key Quotes

Legal Expert
"If the court views the barcode as a 'mark' under Section 164 of the MP Election Act, the EC could face 1-5 years imprisonment, a fine up to 100,000 baht, or both."
หากศาลมองว่าบาร์โค้ดคือ "เครื่องหมาย" ตาม พ.ร.ป.เลือกตั้ง สส. มาตรา 164 กกต. อาจต้องระวางโทษจำคุก 1-5 ปี หรือปรับสูงสุด 100,000 บาท หรือทั้งจำทั้งปรับ
Election Commission (EC)
"Printing codes follows regulation 29 for safety and to prevent ballot tampering, stating the voting process remains 100% secret."
การพิมพ์รหัสเป็นไปตามระเบียบข้อ 29 เพื่อความปลอดภัยและป้องกันบัตรเขย่ง โดยระบุว่ากระบวนการใช้สิทธิยังเป็นความลับ 100%

Key Entities

Organization

Election Commission(กกต.)ℹ️
The Thai organization responsible for overseeing elections, currently facing allegations of violating secrecy laws through the use of barcodes on ballots.

Person

Narong Klanvarinp(นายณรงค์ กลั่นวารินทร์)
The President of the Election Commission who presides over the decision-making board involved in the barcode ballot controversy.
Lertviroj Kowattana(นายเลิศวิโรจน์ โกวัฒนะ)
A member of the Election Commission's board, implicated in the decision-making process regarding the disputed barcode ballots.
Thitichett Nuchanat(นายฐิติเชฏฐ์ นุชนาฏ)
A member of the Election Commission's board, involved in the decision-making process concerning the election ballot barcode issue.
Chai Nakornchai(นายชาย นครชัย)
A member of the Election Commission's board, participating in the decisions related to the current election ballot controversy.
Sittichote Intarawisut(นายสิทธิโชติ อินทรวิเศษ)
A member of the Election Commission's board, implicated by his role in the decisions surrounding the barcode on election ballots.
Anan Suwanarat(นายอนันต์ สุวรรณรัตน์)
A member of the Election Commission's board, involved in formulating policies related to the election process, including the disputed barcode issue.
Narong Rakroi(นายณรงค์ รักร้อย)
A member of the Election Commission's board, whose participation in decisions led to the current controversy over ballot barcodes.

Law

Member of Parliament Election Act(พ.ร.ป.เลือกตั้ง สส.)
The Thai law governing the election of Members of Parliament, cited in the lawsuit regarding alleged violations of secrecy by the EC.
Section 164(มาตรา 164)
A specific section within the Member of Parliament Election Act that could lead to penalties for election officials if a 'mark' is identified on ballots.
Constitution Article 85(รัฐธรรมนูญ มาตรา 85)
A constitutional provision in Thailand mandating that voting shall be conducted in secrecy, which is central to the lawsuit against the EC.
Member of Parliament Election Act Section 96(พ.ร.ป.ว่าด้วยการเลือกตั้ง สส. มาตรา 96)
A section of the MP Election Act that prohibits making any marks on an election ballot, relevant to the current controversy.
Criminal Code Section 157(ประมวลกฎหมายอาญา มาตรา 157)
The section of the Thai Criminal Code pertaining to malfeasance or dereliction of duty by officials, which is being cited in the lawsuit against the Election Commissioners.
Regulation 29(ระเบียบข้อ 29)
An internal regulation of the Election Commission, cited to justify the printing of codes on ballots for safety and security.