The Constitutional Court has granted numerous petitions filed by losing legislative candidates and political parties challenging the results of the February legislative elections and ordered the General Elections Commission (KPU) to hold a revote and vote recounting in over a dozen regions across the country.

The court this week has just finished deliberating decisions in nearly 300 disputes in the February legislative elections for seats at Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and provincial and regional legislative councils (DPRD) that were filed by losing political parties and candidates. The plaintiffs challenged the election results announced by the KPU in March.

The court ruled that the poll body must hold a revote in 20 regions within the next 21 to 45 days, for example, in several areas in Gorontalo province for the provincial DPRD race and all areas in West Sumatra for the DPD race. The disputes in Gorontalo centered on the failures of four big and mid-sized political parties, out of 24 parties competing in the election, to meet the minimum quota of 30 percent for female candidates. The disputes in West Sumatra centered on the failure of local election organizers to include former corruption convict Irman Gusman in the ballots even though he was eligible to run in the DPD race.

The KPU national office and its regional offices are now preparing for the revote and vote recounting.

“The revote will be held without having candidates campaigning prior to the voting day, which is in line with existing regulations,” KPU commissioner Idham Kholik said on Wednesday, as quoted from Antara.

He said he has instructed regional KPU offices to inform voters in their respective areas about the revote to ensure high turnout

“Everyone there has the right to vote so let them exercise their right,” he said.

Vote recounting, meanwhile, will be done in several areas, such as in an electoral district in Jember, East Java, for its DPRD election. (rad/ipa)