The Constitutional Court Is Asked To Decide On Certainty Of The Open Election System Or Closed Before June 26, 2023

Illustration of the 2024 General Election

JAKARTA - I Gusti Putu Artha as an expert witness presented by the NasDem party in the trial of the Election Law lawsuit related to an open proportional system asked the panel of judges at the Constitutional Court (MK) to decide before June 26, 2023.

"With all due respect, as a former member of the KPU, please the assembly, if this trial can be accelerated, ( PLEASE) decide before the 26th (June, ed)," Putu Artha said in the Case Session Number 114/PUU-XX/2022, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 23.

Putu Artha explained that from June 26, 2023 to July 9, 2023, political parties have the opportunity to submit an improvement to the document on the requirements for prospective legislative members.

If the Constitutional Court issues a decision before June 26, political parties wishing to make improvements based on the results of the Constitutional Court's decision can adjust and send an improvement to the document on the requirements for prospective legislative members to the KPU.

Thus, for Putu Artha, the political conflict that occurs will take place in each party.

However, if the Constitutional Court decides on a case related to the electoral system after June 26, even exceeding July 9, 2023, Putu Artha assesses that the conflict will arise in the KPU.

"If the decision is after June 26, it has become the domain of the KPU. All parties will move their conflicts, it appears at the KPU because the KPU is the hammer to decide," said Putu Artha.

He explained that the Constitutional Court's decision regarding the proportional open and closed electoral system would have an impact on electoral technicalities, such as ballot printing, to logistics distribution since ballots were printed which could affect the accuracy of the schedule in voting.

"I'm not sure about that," said Putu Artha, who is also a former journalist.

Previously, as many as six people filed a judicial review lawsuit number 7 of 2017 concerning elections related to an open to closed proportional system at the Constitutional Court (MK) with case registration number 114/PUU-XX/2022.

The six people are Demas Brian Wicaksono (applicants I), Yuwono Pintadi (applicants II), Fahrurrozi ( Petitioner III), Ibnu Rachman Jaya (applicants IV), Riyanto ( Petitioner V), and Nono Marijono ( Petitioner VI) 2022.

If the judicial review lawsuit is granted by the Constitutional Court, the 2024 Election system will turn into a closed proportional system, where with this closed system voters are only presented with the political party logo in the ballot, not the name of the party cadre who participates in the legislative election in the 2024 election.