People’s Party submits charter reform bills to curb court and agency powers

The People’s party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut submitted draft charter amendments to House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha today, which are aimed at reducing the power of the Constitutional Court and independent agencies, while making them more accountable to the public.

Party spokesperson Parit Wacharasindhu said the amendments seek to ensure that the court and the charter-mandated agencies are accountable to the people, rather than politically insulated.

“These amendments are about making the Constitutional Court and independent agencies not independent of the people, but independent from political interference,” Parit said.

One of the draft proposals concerns the selection processes for both the Constitutional Court and independent agencies.

Instead of relying solely on a single selection panel, the party proposes multiple nomination channels to broaden representation and reduce political bias.

As for the current approval process, which requires only a Senate vote, Parit said it should be handled by a joint session of Parliament instead.

The draft also grants the public and MPs the right to initiate impeachment proceedings, to remove Constitutional Court judges and officials of independent agencies.

Parit said the party hopes at least some of the proposals will gain initial support, stressing that the reforms are necessary to rebuild trust in democratic institutions and ensure they are genuinely accountable to the public.