A former Senate candidate has filed a legal complaint against all seven members of the Election Commission (EC), accusing them of intentionally stalling an investigation into alleged collusion among Senate candidates — a move he claims undermines democracy and breaches the law.
Akkarawat Phongthanachalitkul, a reserve candidate, arrived at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Taling Chan on Tuesday with his legal team to formally lodge the complaint. The seven commissioners named include EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee.
The case centres on the long-pending “Senate collusion” probe currently under review by EC subcommittee No.36. Mr Akkarawat accused the commissioners of malfeasance under Sections 83, 91 and 157 of the Criminal Code, as well as Section 172 of the 2018 Organic Act on Anti-Corruption.
He said he decided to take legal action after more than a year of inaction. “It has been one year and three months, and there has been no progress. The public has waited for justice, but the EC has ignored calls for transparency,” he said. “This delay only worsens the situation.”
He alleged that the creation of subcommittee No. 36 was a tactic to stall the case and possibly benefit certain individuals. He warned that the delay could damage the democratic system under the constitutional monarchy.
Mr Akkarawat said he had earlier filed a complaint with Thung Song Hong police station on Oct 3 to demonstrate his determination to pursue the matter.
“I’m acting on behalf of all Senate candidates who want fairness and transparency. I’m confident the court will deliver justice,” he said.
He added that the EC commissioners must now prove in court that their actions did not violate the law, calling it unacceptable for such a high-profile case to drag on for over a year.
Mr Akkarawat, the sole plaintiff, vowed to see the legal process through.
“I will pursue this to the end. Those affected by the EC’s misconduct deserve justice,” he said.
The court has accepted the case for preliminary review and scheduled a hearing for Nov 4 to determine whether it will proceed to trial.