The injunction will effect elections in Chumphon, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani, Pang Nga, Pattani, Phuket, Songkhla and Surat Thani.

A 10-member group led by Dr Pramual Wirutasen, a member of the People's Alliance for Democracy, filed a petition on April 3 against Election Commission, alleging that the configuration of the voting booths for the April 2 election breached Article 104 of the Constitution, which stipulates voting must be direct and confidential.

"The position of the voting booths in the April 2 election allowed others to see who people voted for," argued the group. That is the basis of its request that the election be nullified.

The injunction was issued only a day after the Administrative Court agree to deliberate the petition.

Meanwhile acting Constitution Court President Phan Chantharaparn said Friday that the court would start considering two cases related to the Election Commission's power on Monday.

One of the case was the EC's request for the court to consider whether the EC had power to order the use of rubber stamp in voting or not, Phan said.

In another case, Phan said, a Thammasat University lecturer asked the court to consider whether the EC had breached the Constititution by setting the election date less than 45 days after the House dissolution and by setting voting booth which provided no privacy to voters.

Phan said the Office of Parliament Ombudsmen sent the complaint of the lecturer to the court Friday morning. He said the court could start considering the cases on Monday.

The Nation