Thailand's Constitutional Court to rule on whether Feb. 2 election can be delayed

Supporters hand money to Thai anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban during a march Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014, in Bangkok, Thailand. As a state of emergency came into effect Wednesday in the Thai capital, defiant protesters marched on government offices and defaced the wall outside of national police headquarters, while a prominent government supporter in the country's northeast was the target of a shooting attack. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) (The Associated Press)

Supporters wait to hand money to Thai anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban during a march Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014, in Bangkok, Thailand. As a state of emergency came into effect Wednesday in the Thai capital, defiant protesters marched on government offices and defaced the wall outside of national police headquarters, while a prominent government supporter in the country's northeast was the target of a shooting attack. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) (The Associated Press)

Thailand's Constitutional Court is expected to begin hearing a case that will decide whether the government or the Election Commission has the right to postpone a nationwide election scheduled for Feb. 2.

The head of the Election Commission has argued the poll should be delayed because of the unrest that has shaken the country since protesters began late last year demanding the removal of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck says the government has no legal authority to postpone the ballot, and the date fixed by royal decree is unchangeable.

She had called the vote after dissolving the lower house of Parliament in December to ease the crisis.

The court is likely to issue a ruling in the case later Friday.