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Thai court rules general election invalid | Thai court rules general election invalid |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Thailand's Constitutional Court has ruled the 2 February general election invalid, officials say. | Thailand's Constitutional Court has ruled the 2 February general election invalid, officials say. |
The snap poll was called by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra amid major anti-government protests in Bangkok. | The snap poll was called by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra amid major anti-government protests in Bangkok. |
The ruling party was expected to win, but the opposition boycotted it and protesters disrupted voting, meaning the election has not been completed. | The ruling party was expected to win, but the opposition boycotted it and protesters disrupted voting, meaning the election has not been completed. |
The vote was unconstitutional because it did not take place on the same day across the country, the court said. | The vote was unconstitutional because it did not take place on the same day across the country, the court said. |
Polls were not held in a number of constituencies because protesters had blocked candidate registration. | Polls were not held in a number of constituencies because protesters had blocked candidate registration. |
The court, which ruled to void the election by six votes to three, was responding to a motion by a law lecturer who had challenged the election on a number of points. | The court, which ruled to void the election by six votes to three, was responding to a motion by a law lecturer who had challenged the election on a number of points. |
It is not clear when a new election will be held. | It is not clear when a new election will be held. |
But protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, deputy prime minister when the opposition were in power, said another election would face similar problems. | But protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, deputy prime minister when the opposition were in power, said another election would face similar problems. |
"If a new election date is declared, then we'll take care of every province and the election won't be successful again," he said late on Thursday. | "If a new election date is declared, then we'll take care of every province and the election won't be successful again," he said late on Thursday. |
'People's council' | |
The anti-government protests began in November 2013. At the height of the demonstrations, protesters shut down key road junctions in Bangkok and blockaded government ministries. | |
Numbers have fallen in recent weeks, however, and the protesters are now mainly occupying a city-centre park. | |
At least 23 people have died and hundreds have been injured in the course of the demonstrations. | |
The protesters, who are mainly urban and middle class, want Ms Yingluck's government replaced by an unelected "people's council". | The protesters, who are mainly urban and middle class, want Ms Yingluck's government replaced by an unelected "people's council". |
They allege her brother, ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra, controls her administration and say Shinawatra family money has corrupted Thai politics. | They allege her brother, ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra, controls her administration and say Shinawatra family money has corrupted Thai politics. |
Ms Yingluck and her ruling Pheu Thai party remain very popular in rural areas, however, leaving Thailand deeply polarised. | Ms Yingluck and her ruling Pheu Thai party remain very popular in rural areas, however, leaving Thailand deeply polarised. |
These are the worst protests to hit Thailand since 2010 when "red-shirts" - those who supported Mr Thaksin and opposed the then opposition-led government - shut down parts of Bangkok for several weeks. | |
About 90 people were killed over the course of those protests, which were ended by a military crackdown. | |
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. | 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. |