Thai constitutional court declares Feb general election invalid
Thailand\’s Constitutional Court on Friday annulled the February 2 general election for failing to hold nationwide voting in every constituency on the same day, court officials said.
The Friday ruling will further delay Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her caretaker government\’s efforts to form a new government.
The snap poll was called by Prime Minister Yingluck amid major anti-government protests in Bangkok.
The February 2 poll was disrupted by the opposition, leaving parliament unable to fill the 95 percent of seats needed to reach a quorum and elect a prime minister.
There is no word on when a new election might be held.
Yingluck has also been charged by Thailand\’s National Anti-Corruption Commission with ignoring corruption within a government rice subsidy program that has cost the government billions of dollars.
Thailand has been hit by anti-government protests since November 2013.
Yingluck and her ruling Pheu Thai party remain very popular in rural areas, however, leaving Thailand deeply polarised.
The South East Asian nation has been embroiled in a cycle of political unrest since the military removed Mr Thaksin from office in a 2006 coup.
Source: Agencies
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