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AKARTA: The Judicial Commission began the second phase of selecting 10 new justices for the Supreme Court, at the court’s training center in Megamendung, Bogor, on Monday.

“The commission is working with experts to assess the integrity, quality and personalities of the 79 candidates through a series of tests lasting until May 11,” commission spokesman Asep Rahmat Fajar told The Jakarta Post on Monday, adding that four of the 83 candidates who had passed the initial administrative selection phase had subsequently been disqualified.

The tests include profile assessment, track record verification, and document evaluation.

“These candidates are also required to write essays while here,” Asep said.

Experts on the selection team include criminal law expert Muladi, state administrative law expert Laica Marzuki, civil law expert and former justice Johannes Johansyah and religious law expert and former justice Taufiq.

At the end of 2010, the Supreme Court had only 50 active justices, including two additional justices who were inaugurated in November. The law requires the court to have 60 justices. — JP