Jakarta – The Constitutional Court has handed down a verdict confirming election fraud did take place in South Sulawesi and ruled in favor of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura).
The ruling could lead to another change in the allocation of legislative seats after the court found the Golkar Party committed election fraud in three regencies during April's general election.
"There were more than 3,300 votes which should not have been won by the Golkar Party. The Golkar Party should have won just under 48,000 votes in the province," presiding judge Arsyad Sanusi said. "Meanwhile, the Hanura Party should have garnered just over 47,500 votes."
The lawyer representing the Golkar Party, Viktor Nadapdap, said the decision may lead to the party losing one seat in the House of Representatives.
"We might lose one House seat, that held by Sam Abbas," he said. "The seat might go to Hanura's Dewi Yasin Limpo, who is the sister of the South Sulawesi governor." Another panel of judges at the court ruled to annul the legislative election results in five districts in Minahasa, North Sulawesi.
"The court considers that the plaintiff, the Concern for the National Functioning Party (PKPB), has proven that vote fraud did occur in those five districts in Minahasa, which led to the plaintiff losing votes," said Constitutional Court chief Moh. Mahfud MD.
"The court therefore regards the results from the Minahasa Regency Legislative Council concerning the five districts suspended until re-evaluated. The plaintiff will earn five regional council seats."
On Saturday, the court ordered the General Elections Commission (KPU) to hold a recount of the election results in seven districts in Batam, Riau Islands. The plaintiff was the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
"The plaintiff has proven that there were inconsistencies in the vote-counting process in those districts," Mahfud said. "The KPU should hold a vote recount in those areas within 60 days from the announcement of this verdict."
As of Monday, the court had processed 62 lawsuits connected to more than 500 cases alleging election violations. It has set a deadline to settle around 70 lawsuits, involving 600 cases, by Thursday.
On June 9, the court issued a verdict that changed the legislative poll results and ordered the KPU to conduct vote reruns in South Nias, North Sumatra and Yahukimo, Papua.
The court also issued a controversial decision on June 11, which could lead to around 26 legislators losing their seats in the House.
The court told the KPU to revise the election results after an error occurred in the seat allocation process, leading to seats being lost by the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the Great Indonesia Movement Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB). (fmb)