Follow The Constitutional Court's Decision, KPU: Age Limits Counted Since Determination Not Inauguration

Illustration of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian KPU emphasized that the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding regional elections, namely the age requirements for regional head candidates and the nomination threshold, will continue to be guided until the determination of candidate pairs (paslons). "Continue to be guided, until the determination of candidate pairs," said Chairman of the Indonesian KPU Mochammad Afifuddin during a press conference at the KPU RI Office, Jakarta, Thursday night. The chairman of the KPU emphasized this to dismiss the assumption that the Constitutional Court's decision which was read out on Tuesday (20/8) was only guided at the time of registration. candidates only. The Constitutional Court's decision is Decision Number 70/PUU-XXII/2024 and Decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024. In consideration of Decision Number 70/PUU-XXII/2024, the Constitutional Court emphasized that the age requirements for regional head candidates as regulated in Article 7 paragraph (2) letter e of the Pilkada Law must be calculated from the time the candidate pair is determined, not when the candidate pair is appointed as regional head. Then, Decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 changes the nomination threshold for regional heads. MK cancels Article 40 paragraph (3) of the Law Pilkada and stated Article 40 paragraph (1) of the conditional unconstitutional Pilkada Law. Through this decision, the Constitutional Court stated that political parties that do not get seats in the DPRD can nominate pairs of candidates for regional heads. Calculation of the requirements to propose candidate pairs is only based on the results of the valid votes in the election in the area concerned, which ranges from 6.5 to 10 percent. Furthermore, Afif ensured that registration of pairs of regional head candidates in the 2024 Pilkada will be guided by a guide to the KPU Regulation (PKPU) which has been equipped with new provisions according to the Constitutional Court's decision. What is certain is that later on August 27', when the registration of regional head candidates in all regions in Indonesia, it will follow the rules or PKPU in which the articles or decisions of the Constitutional Court have been included," he said. Afif also ensured that the Constitutional Court's decision adopted into the draft revision of the PKPU were not only a matter of age and threshold requirements, but also campaign rules in universities. "It was also changed by the Constitutional Court. It is also certain that we must follow it, we treat it the same so that then we will immediately adopt it and put it in our campaign arrangement," he said. The KPU will follow up on all decisions of the Constitutional Court in accordance with orderly procedures, namely by consulting with the DPR.

According to him, the hearing (RDP) will be held on Monday (26/8), one day before the registration of regional head candidates is opened.," said Afif.