Thai court says government, protesters did not violate constitution in battle over election

BANGKOK – Thailand's Constitutional Court has rejected petitions brought by both the government and main opposition party accusing each other of attempting to overthrow the country's system of government during recent elections.

The court said Wednesday there was no validity to the claims by either Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's ruling party or the opposition Democrat Party.

Yingluck's party had said that efforts by the Democrats to interfere in the Feb. 2 elections violated a constitutional provision against illegal seizure of power. The Democrats said the elections, called by Yingluck in response to weeks of anti-government protests, were an unconstitutional attempt to hold on to power. Both sought the dissolution of the other party.

The Democrats boycotted the elections, demanding that Yingluck first resign and a non-elected interim government institute reforms.