Vasana Puemlarp, chairman of the embattled Election Comm-ission, yesterday lashed out at critics of the agency who allege the April 2 and related polls were undemocratic.

"Some have said that a one-candidate race [which occurred in more than 100 of the 400 constituencies on April 2] can't be democratic.

"Yet, Article 74 of the electoral law says that such a contest is acceptable provided the sole candidates win at least 20 per cent of all votes in the constituency.

"In the end, [the commission] has been made a political scapegoat," Vasana told reporters after receiving a group of 500 well-wishers from the Northeast.

The chairman expressed disappointment that he and the three other members of the EC were sharply criticised for failing to ensure fairness and honesty in the controversial polls.

The elections held on April 2 and April 23 face challenges in the country's top courts.

The Constitution Court is due to deliver its verdict on the validity of the two polls on Monday, while the Administrative Court has announced it will hand down a verdict on the poll's validity and related cases around May 15.

The judicial intervention followed His Majesty the King's speech on April 25 and a slew of lawsuits against the EC and related parties.

Vasana told well-wishers from Buri Ram, Nong Khai, Khon Kaen, Sakhon Nakhon and Ubon Ratchathani that he and the other EC members felt their image and reputation had been damaged by the heavy criticism of the polls as being undemocratic.

Constitutional expert Kanin Boonsuwan said Vasana and the other commissioners should have consulted the King's speech before making any public rebuke of their critics.

"The EC should review the King's speech thoroughly. [The commission] broke electoral law by allowing MP candidates [who had failed in other constituencies] to stand in the by-election to help a major party's candidates win in places where they failed on April 2," Kanin said.

"If an MP candidate couldn't garner 20 per cent or more of the votes, it simply means the majority didn't want such a candidate. By trying to hold a third round of polls, the EC has not respected the people's will. People were simply forced to vote," he said.

Outgoing Ubon Ratchathani Senator Niran Pitakwatchara said lawsuits were piling up against the EC and related parties because many people wanted the polls nullified.

"It's not appropriate for the EC to rebuke its critics. It should wait for the court's verdicts in the pending lawsuits," Niran said.

Suits against the EC include accusations it did not schedule the polls appropriately, to the detriment of certain political parties; and that it allowed voters' privacy to be violated by setting up the poll booths in an inappropriate configuration.