Senator sues EC over ballot barcodes, wants Feb 8 vote destroyed and new election.

MGR Online•Politics•1d ago

Reader Briefing

A reserve senator has sued the Election Commission (EC) and its officials in the Administrative Court, alleging that barcodes and QR codes printed on ballots for the February 1 and 8, 2026 elections violate secret ballot principles and the constitution.

•A reserve senator has filed a lawsuit against the Election Commission (EC) with the Administrative Court.
•The lawsuit alleges that barcodes and QR codes on ballots from the February 1 and 8, 2026 elections compromise the secrecy of the vote.
•The plaintiff seeks for all ballots from the February 8, 2026 election to be declared void, destroyed, and for a new election to be held.

Overview

•On February 15, 2026, Mr. Akrawat Pongthanacholitkul submitted an electronic lawsuit to the Supreme Administrative Court.
•Mr. Akrawat Pongthanacholitkul, a reserve Senator candidate, filed a lawsuit against the Election Commission (EC) and its officials.
•The lawsuit alleges that printing barcodes and QR codes on MP election ballots violates the principle of secret voting and the constitution.
•The lawsuit claims the barcodes and QR codes on ballots allow tracing of voters to their choices, thus violating Articles 85 and 53 of the 2017 Constitution.
•The EC had previously stated the codes were for security and to prevent counterfeit ballots, but the plaintiff argues this is unconvincing, citing the absence of such codes on referendum ballots.
•The lawsuit asserts that adding these symbols makes the ballots invalid according to EC regulations on MP elections B.E. 2023.
•The plaintiff states this creates public fear, enabling vote-buying and compromising personal safety.
•The plaintiff requests the court to declare ballots from February 1 and 8, 2026 invalid, order their destruction, halt the certification of election results, impose penalties on EC officials, and order a new election with damages paid.

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Key Quotes

N/A

"Requests an order to deem all Feb 8 MP ballots void, destroy them, not certify results, order EC to pay damages for a new election, and impose jail time and political bans."

ขอให้มีคำสั่งให้บัตรเลือกตั้ง สส.8 ก.พ.เป็นบัตรเสียทั้งหมดแล้วนำไปทำลาย ไม่รับรองผลเลือกตั้ง ให้สั่ง กกต.จ่ายค่าเสียหายจัดเลือกตั้งใหม่ ลงโทษจำคุก-ตัดสิทธิทางการเมือง

N/A

"Which voter cast a ballot for which candidate or political party."

ผู้ใช้สิทธิคนใด เป็นผู้ลงคะแนนให้ผู้สมัครหรือพรรคการเมืองใด

N/A

"Printing such symbols constitutes making additional marks that render the ballot 'invalid'."

การพิมพ์สัญลักษณ์ดังกล่าว ถือเป็นการทำเครื่องหมายอื่นใดเพิ่มเติมที่ทำให้บัตรเลือกตั้งกลายเป็น "บัตรเสีย"

Key Entities

Person

Reserve Senator(สว.สำรอง)

Plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Election Commission over ballot barcodes.

Mr. Akrawat Pongthanacholitkul(นายอัครวัฒน์ พงศ์ธนาชลิตกุล)

Reserve Senator candidate and plaintiff suing the Election Commission over ballot barcodes.

Secretary-General of the Election Commission(เลขาธิการคณะกรรมการการเลือกตั้ง)

An official being sued alongside the Election Commission for alleged malfeasance.

Organization

Election Commission (EC)(กกต.)ℹ️

Defendant in a lawsuit alleging improper conduct regarding ballot barcodes for the February 8, 2026 election.

Supreme Administrative Court(ศาลปกครองสูงสุด)ℹ️

The court where the lawsuit against the Election Commission was filed.

Office of the Election Commission(สำนักงานคณะกรรมการการเลือกตั้ง)

An organizational defendant in the lawsuit filed by Mr. Akrawat Pongthanacholitkul.

Law

Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2017(รัฐธรรมนูญแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย พ.ศ. 2017)ℹ️

The legal document cited in the lawsuit as being violated by the alleged compromising of secret ballot principles.

EC Regulations on MP Elections B.E. 2023(ระเบียบ กกต. ว่าด้วยการเลือกตั้ง สส. พ.ศ. 2023)

The regulatory framework cited in the lawsuit that allegedly makes ballots with additional marks, such as the disputed barcodes, invalid.