Bawaslu Guarantees Election Supervision Continues During The Member Selection Process In 514 Regencies And Cities

JAKARTA - The Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) of the Republic of Indonesia guarantees that election supervision in the regions will continue during the selection process for Bawaslu members in 514 districts and cities, the results of which will be announced on 16-20 August 2023.

"Bawaslu ordered the provincial Bawaslu throughout Indonesia to carry out the task of supervising the implementation of the district and city Bawaslu elections for a while, until the inauguration of Bawaslu/panwaslih members of districts and cities," said Member of the Indonesian Bawaslu Herwyn Malonda in a statement, quoted from Antara, Thursday 17 August.

Herwyn said it was decided considering that Bawaslu members in 514 districts and cities with a term of office in 2018-2023 had ended their term of office.

Therefore, he continued, strategic policies need to be taken by Bawaslu so that the stages of supervision of the implementation of elections in districts and cities are still carried out in accordance with the provisions of the legislation. Currently, he continued, the process of selecting Bawaslu members in districts and cities is still ongoing.

Based on the provisions of Article 556 paragraph (3) of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections, it is stipulated that if something happens that causes Bawaslu provinces, districts and cities to be unable to carry out their duties, then the central Bawaslu or provincial Bawaslu will carry out the supervisory stages of holding elections for the time being until the regional Bawaslu can carry out their duties again.

According to Herwyn, the order for the implementation of the task of supervising the provisional election is stated in the Letter of the Chairman of the Indonesian Bawaslu Number 565/KP.05/K1/08/2023 concerning the Takeover of Tasks and Authority of Bawaslu/Panwaslih Regency/City dated August 15, 2023.

Based on the letter, the task of supervising elections at the district and city levels is carried out by each provincial Bawaslu in its area up to the inauguration of Bawaslu members or regional panwaslih for the period 2023-2028.

With regard to the process of establishing district and city Bawaslu, the provisions of Article 131 paragraph (2) of the Election Law stipulate that the election and determination of Bawaslu members for districts and cities are carried out by Bawaslu within 60 working days from the receipt of the candidate files for regional Bawaslu members from the selection team (Timsel).

As an effort to ensure that the supervisory tasks are carried out correctly, appropriately, openly, and accountably, and in accordance with the provisions of the legislation, every technical implementation of the provincial Bawaslu duties requires supervision, supervision, and guidance so that supervisory duties at all levels do not stop.

In addition, as a form of Bawaslu's accountability and accountability to the public regarding the implementation of supervision, community participation is an important point.

Bawaslu ensures that the duties of supervision by all levels of election supervisors at all levels are in accordance with the procedures and provisions of the legislation.