21 justice candidates to undergo fit-and-proper tests

The Judicial Commission on Monday is expected to submit to the House of Representatives the names of 21 candidates for Supreme Court justices, for fit-and-proper tests.

The 21 candidates have passed the final interview sessions conducted by the commission last week.

“The meeting with the House is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m.,” Judicial Commission spokesman Asep Rahmat Fajar said Monday, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.  

There are currently 10 vacancies for justices at the Supreme Court. Forty-three people applied for the positions, but the Judicial Commission short-listed only 21 candidates after several tests, including an administrative test and the final interview session.

However, according to the 2009 Law on the Supreme Court, the number of candidates undergoing fit-and-proper tests should be at least three times the number of positions to fill, Asep said.

This would mean that the names of at least 30 candidates should be submitted to undergo fit-and-proper tests for the 10 positions available.

Asep, however, said this regulation was only meant to serve as a guide and  that the 21 candidates would still “meet the quota”.