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Constitutional Court refuses to pave way for Kalla to seek third term
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The Constitutional Court (MK) building in Jakarta (kompas.com/File)
T
he Constitutional Court (MK) has rejected judicial review petitions challenging a provision in the 2017 Elections Law that prevents a president and vice president from seeking a third term in office.
The court upheld the provision in question on the grounds that the plaintiffs – two individuals and two little-known civil society groups – lack legal standing to bring such a case to court.
The disputed provision, the court said, did not curtail the petitioners' constitutional right to vote.
"The petitioners do not have the legal standing to file such a judicial review request," chief justice Anwar Usman said, reading out the ruling on Thursday.
In the petitions, the plaintiffs argued that the provision would affect Vice President Jusuf Kalla should he intend to run for reelection as President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's running mate in 2019.
Kalla is serving his second term as vice president, after serving his first term in office with former president Susilo Bambang Yudhotono in 2004.
The petitioners argued that the Jokowi-Kalla administration’s programs should only be continued by the same pair in the future.
Justice I Dewa Gede Palguna said such an argument, however, was irrelevant with regard to the plaintiffs' legal standing.
The case, he added, could only be disputed at court by a former president or vice president seeking a third term, or by political parties backing such bids. (ipa)
