MK Rejects Petition for the Term of the National Police Chief, the Application is Considered to be Ambiguous

Illustration of the Constitutional Court verdict (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Constitutional Court (MK) rejected a request for a material test related to the term of office of the National Police Chief by stating that the lawsuit was not acceptable because it was considered obscure (obscuur).

The decision was read by the Chairman of the Constitutional Court Suhartoyo in a hearing in Jakarta, Thursday, April 16. "The judgment states that the applicant's application cannot be accepted," the ruling read, quoted by Antara, Friday, April 17.

This application was filed by student Tri Prasetyo Putra Mumpuni in case number 77/PUU-XXIV/2026. In his lawsuit, the applicant tested Article 11 of Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning the National Police because it was considered not to regulate the term of office of the National Police Chief clearly.

The applicant argued that the absence of a term limit could potentially create uncertainty in the periodisation of leadership in the National Police, even opening the door to personal and uncontrolled power. This is considered contrary to the principle of the rule of law as stipulated in the 1945 Constitution.

However, the Court considered that the arguments submitted were not accompanied by clear and adequate legal arguments, especially in explaining the conflict of norms with the constitutional articles that served as the basis for the test.

Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court Saldi Isra added that there was also an inconsistency between the reasons for the application and the petitum submitted.

"The court understands the applicant's desire for a term of office for the National Police Chief. However, the formulation of the petitum can actually remove the entire norm related to the appointment of the National Police Chief," said Saldi.

The Constitutional Court assessed that if the application was granted, it would actually create a legal vacuum regarding the requirements for the appointment of the National Police Chief.

With these considerations, the Court concluded that the application was unclear, contained contradictions, and did not meet the formal requirements, so that the lawsuit related to the term of office of the National Police Chief could not be accepted and was not continued to the examination of substance.