Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The Judicial Commission said on Friday that the newly elected Supreme Court justices must break any ties with political parties to avoid conflicts of interest in conducting their duties.

The statement was apparently aimed at Gayus Lumbuun, a senior Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker, who was among the six new justices elected by the House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing law on Thursday evening.

Gayus, who served in the commission and came second in the voting, had previously vowed to resign from his position as a lawmaker if he was elected a justice.

"It is important for the new justices not to carry out political missions for the lawmakers who chose them," Judicial Commission's Imam Anshori Saleh said.

"If the chosen candidates [fail to meet] public expectations, it will be understandable," said Imam, who is also a former lawmaker. The organization that conducted the vote is a political institution. It is certainly reasonable to expect there were political considerations."

Previously, the Judiciary Monitoring Coalition (KPP) slammed Gayus for running because he was affiliated with a political party and was well known as having a bad temper.

Imam added, however, that the commission appreciated the House's votes. "Basically, whoever got chosen from the 18 candidates has met all the criteria required to be a justice; that includes the capacity and integrity," Imam said.

"We appreciate the House's votes."We hope that the six justices will act fairly, honestly and impartially in carrying out their duties as law enforcers," he said. He asserted that their roles were essentially important in providing legal certainty.

Topping the vote on Thursday was Suhadi, an active judge, who gained 51 votes. Gayus, who had become one of the favorites among the 18 candidates, came second with 44 votes, followed by Nurul Elmiyah with 42 votes, Andi Samsan Nganro with 42, Dudu Duswara with 34 and Hari Jatmiko with 28.

Of the six, only Andi and Suhadi were career judges. Andi, now spokesman for the Jakarta High Court, was on the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court that acquitted former House speaker Akbar Tandjung of graft charges.

The election was conducted after members of Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, carried out tests for a total of 18 candidates, which began on Sept. 20.

The six will serve as justices in six different chambers, which respectively oversee civil cases, criminal cases, religious affairs, state administration, taxation and cases involving the military.