Deputy Chief Justice Anwar Usman with Secretary General M. Guntur Hamzah, Head of the Public Relations and Protocol, and Spokesperson Fajar Laksono during press conference, Wednesday (28/3) in the 4^th Floor Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

The Constitutional Court (MK) will select a new chief justice for 2018-2020 on Monday, April 2, 2018. This was conveyed by Deputy Chief Justice Anwar Usman in a press conference on Wednesday (28/3/2018) in the Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court.

Anwar explained that Justice Arief Hidayat had ended his term of office as a constitutional justice for 2013-2018 and taken an oath of office as a constitutional justice for 2018-2023 on Tuesday (27/3/2018) at the State Palace. With the end of Arief Hidayat\'s tenure as a constitutional justice, in accordance with Law Number 8 of 2011 concerning the Constitutional Court (MK) and Article 2 paragraph 6 of the Constitutional Court Regulation (PMK) Number 3 of 2012 on the Procedure for the Election of Chief and Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Justice Arief Hidayat\'s tenure as chief justice also ended.

Justice Anwar said that all nine constitutional justices had convened in the justice deliberation meeting (RPH) for the election of chief justice on Wednesday (28/3/2018) and decided on three things.

First, in accordance with Article 4 paragraph (3a) of the Constitutional Court Law and Article 2 paragraph (6) of PMK Number 3/2012, the justices agreed that in the next chief justice election, Justice Arief Hidayat would no longer be eligible for the position because he had been served two terms as chief justice, on January 7, 2015 replacing Justice Hamdan Zoelva and on July 14, 2017.

Second, according to Article 5 paragraph 1 of PMK Number 3/2012, "The decision for the election of chief justice or deputy chief justice of the Constitutional Court is made in the deliberation meeting during a Plenary Meeting of Justices that is closed to the public." Meanwhile, Article 5 paragraph 2 of PMK Number 3/2012 reads, "In the event that the deliberation does not reach consensus as referred to in paragraph (1), the decision is made through a majority vote through voting in the RPH that is open to the public."

"Third, the election of the chief justice of the Constitutional Court will be held on April 2, 2018 in the plenary meeting of the justices, which starts at 08.30 WIB. On the same day, there will be a plenary session of the oath declaration of the Chief Justice for the 2018-2020 term at 15.00 WIB," Justice Anwar said, accompanied by Secretary General of the Constitutional Court M. Guntur Hamzah, Head of Public Relations and Protocol Bureau Rubiyo, and Spokesperson Fajar Laksono. (Lulu Anjarsari/Yuniar Widiastuti)