The Court explained that the cause in question was merely provisional, not permanent.

The clause stipulates candidates for the Senate must be either “independent” or represent a professional association.

Opponents including the Constitution Drafting Commission said the clause violated the military-drafted Constitution, which only recognises members of professional guilds as legitimate Senate candidates.

The controversy led to some members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) seeking the Court’s ruling to ensure the bill’s legality and prevent any future problems arising regarding the clause. The NLA was criticised loudly for the move by those concerned it would further delay an election.

The Court’s ruling that the clause is in harmony with the Constitution means the NLA can now proceed to submit the bill to the prime minister to present for royal endorsement.

Two more bills – on the election of MPs and on political parties – have been sent to the Constitutional Court for a ruling on their legality.

The Court yesterday announced it would deliver a judgement on the MPs election bill next Wednesday.

Contentious points in the bills are whether it is constitutional to ban eligible voters who fail to vote from taking up any political office, and provision of assistance for the disabled at polling booths.

On controversy surrounding the junta amending the political party law to set deadlines for party arrangements, the Court said it would discuss the issue next Wednesday and give a verdict later.

INTERNATIONAL AND local communities yesterday lent their support to the pro-election group that is calling on authorities to release leaders arrested on Tuesday after their attempt to rally for an early election was suppressed.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said his government needed to enforce the law to stop the activist movement and to protect public safety, prevent turmoil, and move the country forward to democracy and good governance.

A dozen activists, led by the Democratic Restoration Group (DRG), were arrested and charged with sedition which carries a maximum seven-year prison term, and with violating the military junta’s ban on political gatherings of more than five people.

Well-known young activists Nuttha Mahattana, Rangsiman Rome, Sirawith Seritiwat, Ekachai Hongkangwan and Anon Nampa are among the arrested people. They were detained together yesterday at Din Daeng police station.

Many activists and politicians visited them at the stations, including Thanathorn Juangroongruan-gkit of Future Forward Party, former police commissioner Pol General Seripisut Temiyavet, and representatives of the Pheu Thai Party.

Seripisut offered a Bt1.5-million guarantee for the 14 activists but they had not been granted bail at press time last night.

Their lawyer, Krisdang Nutcharas, said the police might ask the court permission to extend their detention today.

Nuttha sent a message from her cellphone, saying she and her colleagues were in good spirits and they would never give up their fight for democracy.

A message from Sirawith said: “I will not allow the junta to stay in power for five years.”

Rangsiman called on politicians to join the people’s movement to fight for their right to have an election.

‘Drop all charges’

Earlier, the UN Human Rights Office called for the immediate release of pro-election activists. “We have consistently urged the Thai government, as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to fully respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” the office said in a statement posted on Facebook.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday also called on Thai authorities to immediately drop all charges and unconditionally release the 14 pro-democracy activists who had peacefully expressed their opposition to military rule.

“The arrest of peaceful democracy activists calling for free and fair elections shows that Thailand’s military junta has no intention of easing its oppressive rule,” said Brad Adams, HRW Asia director, in a statement.

Two Thammasat student organisations also called for the release of the activists, saying the students supported freedom of expression and assembly.

The DRG stayed overnight |at the Thammasat University Tha Pracha campus on Monday before their planned 5km march |to Government House was |foiled.

Thammasat University said |

yesterday that despite the police’s suggestion, it would not pursue legal cases against pro-democracy protesters for breaking the university’s gate key.

“The university views the incident as caused by the chaotic situation. The damage was also minor,” the university said in a statement.

“We will not pursue cases against students and activists but will instead try to communicate with them more.”

Thammasat is regarded historically as a stronghold of the pro-democracy movement. Major student uprisings in Thai history in 1973 began at its Tha Prachan campus.

He went to Chanasongkhram Police Station to visit the detained activists and file bailing requests.

The activists are charged with allegedly breaking the junta ban against political gathering of five or more people as they attempted to lead a 500-strong rally to Government House on Tuesday.

The rally ended up not reaching the house with key activists turning themselves into the police.

It was supposed to be one in a series of assemblies, organised since January, to demand the junta hold an election this year.

Human rights advocates and networks have slammed the authority’s infringement of freedom of expression.

“This is not wrongdoing by law. Their expressions were not excessive,” said Seripisut, who also looks forward to forming the Seri Ruam Thai political party. “The police abused them. However, I think they should not object to bail requests.”

“The university considers that the incident was caused by the chaotic situation. The damage was also minor,” the university said in a statement. “We would not pursue cases against students and activists but would instead try to communicate with them more.”

The statement referred to Tuesday’s 500-people assembly that attempted to march from the university’s Tha Prachan campus to Government House to demand the junta hold an election this year.

The rally ended unsuccessfully with key activists turning themselves into the police as they faced pressed charges for breaking the junta’s ban on political gathering of five or more.

Fourteen activists are still detained at Phaya Thai and Chanasongkram police stations.

The so-called Student Friend Network also issued a statement urging the government to unconditionally release all students and stop prosecuting cases related to peaceful assemblies and expressions of discontent.

“We call the officers to stop harassing wellbeing in every form of students and the people. We also call for the state to respect and protect people’s rights and freedom to prevent any further harassment,” it said.

Student activists are known to have been tracked or approached by security officers either directly to themselves, to their families or places of study.

“We also believe that the assembly dispersal [on Tuesday] was excessive and severely infringes fundamental rights and freedom,” it said, referring to the authorities’ targeting of the key protesters.

The network is also collecting signatures from students nationwide to endorse the statement.

“We have consistently urged the Thai Government, as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to fully respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” the office said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Fourteen pro-election activists were arrested yesterday as they attempted to march to Government House to push for an early election to be held by the end of 2018. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has insisted that the poll will be no sooner than early 2019.

The activists were charged with sedition, which carries a maximum seven-year prison term, and violating the military junta’s ban on political gatherings of more than five people.

The statement said the UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia, together with other UN offices, had observed a peaceful assembly organised by “Individuals Who Want Election” during the two-day rally on Monday and Tuesday.

UN observers also coordinated and held meetings with both the organisers and officials from the Royal Thai Police, it said.

The demonstration at Thammasat University was held to remember the four-year anniversary of the May 22, 2014 military coup.

Human Rights Watch has also demanded that the 14 detainees be released and all charges dropped.