Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court (MK) has received 283 regional election dispute cases as of Saturday, December 14, 2024. The number is expected to rise as the registration period for election disputes remains open until December 18, 2024.
According to the MK's official website, the majority of cases – 218 – are related to regent elections, followed by 49 cases for mayoral elections and 16 for gubernatorial elections.
The latest gubernatorial dispute filed involves the Southwest Papua regional election. The case was submitted by Abdul Faris Umlati and Petrus Kasihiw, candidates from ticket number 1 out of four competing pairs in the gubernatorial race. The filing was registered on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at 10:40 p.m. local time.
Filing and review process
MK Chairperson Suhartoyo stated that the deadline for filing disputes is three days after the vote count results are announced by the General Election Commission (KPU), as stipulated in Constitutional Court Regulation No. 3 of 2024. The KPU is scheduled to announce the official vote counts on Monday, December 16, 2024.
Once a petition is filed, the MK provides notes to applicants to complete or revise their submissions. After revisions are finalized, the case is officially recorded in the Constitutional Case Registry (e-BRPK).
"Afterward, the hearing schedule will be announced, and judges will convene in three panels, each comprising three judges," Suhartoyo said on Monday, December 9, 2024, as quoted by the MK's official website. He assured that the case assignments are designed to avoid conflicts of interest.
Upcoming hearings and deadlines
The MK has not yet set the date for the first hearing on the 2024 regional election disputes. Suhartoyo indicated that hearings would likely begin in early January 2025.
Preliminary examinations are slated to take place in two waves: Deember 24 to 31, 2024, and January 9 to 14, 2025. Following these initial reviews, the court will hold a series of marathon hearings.
- First wave: January 30 to February 4, 2025.
- Second wave: February 12 to 17, 2025.
These timelines are outlined in Constitutional Court Regulation No. 4 of 2024, which governs the procedural stages and schedules for disputes related to gubernatorial, regent, and mayoral elections.