Police have been increasing security around the Constitutional Court since early this morning, as supporters of the Move Forward party and other political groups are expected to show up to offer moral support to the former party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Steel barricades were erected around the Prince Ratchaburi Direkrit building, where the Constitutional Court is located. Only authorised personnel are being allowed entry to the building.  Metropolitan Police officers have also been deployed outside the court to keep the peace.

Members of the media were asked by court officials to identify themselves, their media outlets and phone numbers before being allowed into the central hall and guest room on the second floor of the court building.

The court will deliver its ruling at 2pm today on the charge that Pita held 42,000 shares in the iTV media company, in violation of the Constitution. Pita will attend the hearing.

The court was asked, by the Election Commission, to rule on whether Pita should lose his parliamentary status, in accordance with Sections 101 (6) and 98 (3) of the Constitution, for owning shares in iTV, a media outlet, when he applied for election candidacy in last year’s May 14^th general election.

On July 19^th last year, after agreeing to consider the Election Commission’s petition, the court ordered Pita to stop performing his duties as a party-list MP immediately. Pita also resigned as leader of the Move Forward party, but vowed to return as an MP and to the Move Forward party if he is cleared of the charge by the court.