Request to reinstate Jaruvan

Published on September 30, 2005 - A group of 22 senators yesterday filed an urgent motion demanding that the Senate reaffirm the job status of Auditor-General Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka, paving the way for her reinstatement.

“The reaffirmation of Jaruvan’s job status is the only solution for the deadlock at the Office of the Auditor-General,” Senator Kaewsan Atibhodi said.

Kaewsan, the writer of the motion, said precedents established in 1932 gave the Senate leeway regarding the matter under its jurisdiction.

In a controversial ruling last year, the Constitution Court said Jaruvan’s nomination process was unconstitutional but stopped short of addressing her job status.

The court did not offer its opinion on Jaruvan’s office but said the Senate was empowered to rule over the matter, Kaewsan said.

He urged the Senate to reinstate Jaruvan before correcting the flawed nomination process in order to clear up the relevant legal issues in a comprehensive manner.

He said his colleagues might debate the motion on Tuesday.

Opposing the motion, Senator Sawai Phrammanee said the Upper House was obliged to deliberate on draft laws but banned from conducting non-legislative debates.

Sawai, the legal adviser to Senate Speaker Suchon Chaleekrua, reiterated his call for Jaruvan’s resignation, saying it was the best solution to resolve the legal impasse.