Bangkok: Mongkolkitt Suksintharanon has submitted a petition to the Ombudsman, urging the referral of a case to the Constitutional Court concerning the use of barcodes on election ballots in Thailand. According to Mongkolkitt, the barcode system violates the constitutional requirement for direct and secret voting.
According to Thai News Agency, Mongkolkitt, who is a Prime Minister candidate from the New Alternative Party, has expressed concerns over the Election Commission's decision to place barcodes on both party-list and constituency ballots. He argues that these barcodes enable traceability, compromising voter anonymity as mandated by Article 85 of the Constitution.
The Ombudsman possesses the authority to escalate the issue to either the Administrative Court or the Constitutional Court. Mongkolkitt has highlighted evidence from the 1969 election, which faced issues such as discrepancies in ballot counts and a mismatch between recorded votes and online counts. He emphasizes that the current election shows similar flaws, with uncounted votes in certain areas and re-elections in others, calling into question the fairness and transparency of the process.
Mongkolkitt criticizes the explanation provided by Mr. Saeng Boonmee, the Secretary-General of the Election Commission, who maintained that the barcode system ensures both direct and secret voting. Mongkolkitt argues that the secrecy of the vote is compromised if it is possible to trace back voters' choices, drawing parallels with the invalidated 2006 election.
He further points out that public sentiment, reflected in reactions from various organizations and political parties, perceives the election as unfair and lacking in transparency. Mongkolkitt also questioned the credibility of a poll by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) that portrayed the election positively, suggesting it may not accurately reflect public opinion.
Mongkolkitt believes the Ombudsman will act swiftly on this issue due to its social significance and expects a judicial resolution. He maintains that adherence to the rule of law in the court's decision will prevent national turmoil.