"We have selected some judges to settle possible regional election disputes. Special judges who had been nominated during the 2014 legislative elections can be assigned to settle all possible disputes. In short, human resources are ready," he stated at the Central General Election Commission (KPU) Building.
The KPU invited the Supreme Court (MA) for a meeting to discuss a mechanism for settling possible disputes that might arise during the regional elections that will be conducted simultaneously in a number of regions later this year.
The KPU is anticipating disputes following the issuance of Government Regulations in lieu of Law Number 1 of 2014 on elections of provincial governors, district heads and city mayors (Perppu 1, 2014).
At the meeting, Supandi explained the preparations that MA has made for the settlement of election disputes.
He pointed out that four administrative courts have been prepared to settle the disputes that may arise during the different stages of the elections.
"The courts are in Medan (North Sumatra), Jakarta; Surabaya (East Java); and Makassar (South Sulawesi). MA has also prepared special judge councils. Perppu disputes will be settled through the Election Monitoring Committee (Panwaslu) and Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu). However, if parties involved are not satisfied with their decisions, they may go to court," he emphasized.
KPU chief Husni Kamil Manik stated on a separate occasion that he will adhere to rules set by MA with regard to the settlement of election disputes.
"MA has the authority to regulate it, so we will follow it. The KPU must adhere to the regulations in effect," he added.
Earlier, Commissioner Ida Budhiati said the procedures for dispute settlement should be reviewed because based on Perppu, the existing mechanism is too complicated and time consuming while the time available for dispute settlement is limited.
"The procedures for dispute settlements are already clear but the time needed for it is still too long. So, the KPU wishes that, if possible, it be reformulated with the high court as the final institution for dispute settlements," she remarked.
Based on Perppu 1, 2014, the process of dispute settlement can take up to three months after the registration of a case at Bawaslu through MA.
"The settlement at the administrative court takes 64 working days. Only after this process is finished can further processes be carried out," she explained.
Besides dispute settlements at the administrative court, other kinds of disputes will take 41 days to be settled. So, if elections are conducted simultaneously on November 16, 2015, the regions that have disputes will have elected chiefs only by 2016, she observed.
"The KPU can determine the date of election as November 16 and based on it, recapitulation can be finished by the end of December 2015 without any dispute. However, if disputes occur, the process certainly will extend beyond 2015," she stressed.
The KPU plans to conduct simultaneous regional elections in 188 regions in 2015 as the term of governments there end.
Commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay has said elections will be carried out simultaneously following Perppu 1, 2014, issued by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"Based on our count, 188 regions will go to polls in 2015," he noted.
According to him, before the issuance of Perppu, 247 regions were expected to go for elections; this number also included elections in the regions where the term of the governments will end early in 2016.
"Following the issuance of Perppu, only 188 regions will be see simultaneous elections while the rest is scheduled for 2018," he added.
The regions that will see simultaneous elections in 2015 include Jambi, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, West Sumatra, Riau Islands, North Sulawesi, and Bengkulu provinces in addition to 181 districts/cities.
The KPU has not yet decided the exact date of the elections.
(Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR)
Reporter: Fransiska Ninditya
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
