Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) vowed to issue a regulation to award more legislative seats to women should the government fail to enact a government regulation in-lieu-of law (Perppu) on the matter.

KPU member Andi Nurpati said Tuesday the poll body was upholding the mandate to endorse legislative seats for deserving candidates, which according to the Constitutional Court are those who win the most votes. "We have already drafted a KPU regulation if the government fails to issue the Perppu," she said.

The legislative elections will take place on April 9, with about 12,000 candidates from 38 political parties contesting 560 House of Representatives seats. Female candidates account for about 30 percent of the aspirants.

The KPU has proposed the Perppu, measures enacted in the event of emergency, after the Constitutional Court annulled an article in the 2008 legislative election law which allowed political parties to assign legislative seats to their loyal members.

While many hail the court ruling as a victory for democracy, women's groups have lashed out at the verdict, calling it a contradiction of earlier action taken to improve female representation at legislative bodies.

Andi expressed hope the government could immediately respond to the KPU's request, saying the national poll body would need time to explain the Perppu, if there were to be one, to the regional election bodies (KPUDs).

To help settle the controversy, State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Hatta held a series of meetings Tuesday with the KPU and Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalatta.

Meutia, quoting Mattalatta, said the government might turn down the KPU request because the Perppu would be deliberated immediately in the House anyway.

"According to Pak Andi, there are a number of regulations that justify greater female representation in the legislative bodies, and they may all work smoothly," Meutia said.

She warned that issuing the KPU regulation would create new problems, mainly because it contradicts the Constitutional Court ruling. "The best thing that could be done would be to persuade the elite in political parties to issue internal measures on female representation," she said.

Campaigners have long sought for a ruling to ensure a minimum 30 percent of legislative representatives are women, to put an end to the male-dominated decision making process in the country.

Articles concerning female candidates

Article 53

List of provisional legislative candidates submitted by a political party must ensure that 30 percent of the nominees are women.

Article 55

The list must ensure that of every three legislative candidates, at least one of them is female candidate.

Article 214

The allocation of legislative seats for a political party is based on the number of votes won in electoral districts, with the priority given to candidates who win 30 percent of the minimum votes required to secure a legislative seat. [The Constitutional Court annulled this article and ruled that seats go to candidates with the most votes.]

Source: Law No. 10/2008