Drafters then submitted the section to the Constitutional Court for further deliberation.

The revision includes a new paragraph in the section that allows appointed senators to join the Lower House to select a prime minister from the lists of candidates drawn up by the elected political parties.

Only the Lower House will be able to nominate candidates, but if there is deadlock in the initial process, a majority vote in the Lower House call for a waiver of the lists, opening the way for both Houses in Parliament to select a different candidate, who would not have to be nominated by the party lists.

A candidate will have to gain more than half the votes of the joint Parliament to be selected as prime minister.

According to a press briefing, the CDC deliberated on the matter in detail, considering the extra question, which reads: “The joint Parliament shall consider approving the appropriate person to be appointed as prime minister”.

Drafters agreed that the extra question only involved the final voting process, adding that it should be interpreted literally because it had been approved by the voters in a national referendum.

“The CDC’s decision very strictly held to the literal meaning of the additional question,” said CDC spokesman Norachit Sinhaseni at the press briefing, adding that the CDC also considered related documents distributed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) prior to the referendum.

CDC members concluded that the NLA had not specified that the Senate would join MPs in the nomination of candidates.

Drafters yesterday submitted the revised charter draft along with an explanation for the Constitution Court’s deliberation, while some NLA members were still offering contradictory explanations insisting that the question meant that the Senate should have power to nominate.

Chief drafter Meechai Ruchupan said yesterday that the court ruling would resolve the disagreement on the interpretation of the question, which would provide clarity.

The interim charter of 2014 stipulates that after the referendum, the charter should be amended in line with the vote results, then forwarded to the Constitutional Court before it is sent to the prime minister and submitted for Royal endorsement.

NLA speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said legislators were preparing meeting minutes regarding the additional question, related statements by NLA members and reports from field trips by members ahead of the referendum to explain the issue to voters.

He said there was no hidden agenda, and the Constitutional Court’s decision whether to hear testimony or consider other submissions would decide the issue. “If the Court requests it, the NLA is ready to explain. From my experience, I believe that when the Court deliberates on anything, it will heed the opinions from all sides first,” Pornpetch said.

Following the completion of the constitution draft, the CDC and the NLA will continue to consider the 10 organic laws, four of which are scheduled to be finished within four months to prepare for next year’s election.

Preliminary bills relating to political parties and the origin of MPs have reportedly been completed by the Election Commission (EC).

EC member Boonsong Noisophon has been quoted as saying the bills would make it difficult to set up new parties and include strict rules to curb electoral fraud.

Meechai said yesterday he had not yet received the EC bills and dismissed reports that parties would be abolished to reset politics.

EC deputy secretary-general Thanit Sriprathet said yesterday the EC’s working groups were reviewing the organic law drafts, which the commission would consider before forwarding them to the CDC, hopefully within the next month.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he would not be susceptible to lobbying regarding the National Council for Peace and Order’s plan to appoint 30 additional NLA members.