UPDATE - Top Thai court suspends parliament membership of premier hopeful

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, BACKGROUND; REVISES DECK

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ahead of the second round of voting to elect the prime minister, Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday suspended from parliament the top contender for the post.

The decision came after the nation's election body asked the court to rule whether Pita Limjaroenrat's TV shareholding disqualifies him from being a lawmaker or not, Thai PBS reported.

Pita has 15 days to respond to the move, which does not bar him from being nominated as premier since the government chief does not have to be a sitting lawmaker.

Ahead of the first vote held last week, Thailand's election authority sought action against the frontrunner over allegations of hiding his shares in a media outlet during the May 14 elections.

Pita was elected as a lawmaker in the May elections and his Move Forward Party (MFP) won 151 seats in the 500-seated lower house of the bicameral parliament.

His party called the election authority's move to approach the top court "unfair."

The election body has rejected the assertion.

- Election for next premier

The newly-elected lawmakers, along with 249 senators, are scheduled to vote on Wednesday to elect Thailand's 30th prime minister.

Pita, who is leading an eight-party coalition, failed to garner minimum 375 votes in the first round held last week.

He was the sole contender for the post after he was nominated by Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew during a joint sitting of the bicameral parliament. Some 302 lawmakers backed the nomination.

The coalition candidate got only 324 votes at the joint session, falling short of the majority he needs.

At least 182 lawmakers voted against Pita, 42, while 199 others abstained from voting.

A total of 705 lawmakers cast their ballot, including, crucially, members of the junta-appointed Senate.

Initially commanding the support of 312 lawmakers in his coalition, Pita received only 12 votes from other parties.

Thailand's parliament — consisting of 500 elected lawmakers and 250 senators — voted during the election for the prime minister's post in the joint session. One of the senators had resigned ahead of the vote.