Petitioner Titi Anggraini reading out the petition revision in the material review of the Election Law, Wednesday (16/7) in the Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

The Constitutional Court (MK) held a revision hearing of the judicial review of Law No. 7 of 2017 on General Elections, Wednesday (18/7). The Petitioners of cases No. 49/PUU-XVI/2018 and 50/PUU-XVI/2018 challenge the provision on presidential threshold in the 2019 Elections.

Petitioner of case No. 49/PUU-XVI/2018 Titi Anggraini revised the legal standing for Petitioner Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak as the coordinating executive of Pemuda Muhammadiyah (Islamic dakwah movement for youth) and herself as a representative of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem). They attached the article of association of Pemuda Muhammadiyah and the deed of establishment of Perludem.

"We also emphasize the constitutional impairment of the Petitioners in addition the legal standing of Petitioners Titi Anggraini and Hadar Gumai, whose previous case on the presidential threshold selection was granted," he explained in a session chaired by Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra.

In addition, Titi added, the Petitioners also added articles for touchstone, now covering Article 6 paragraphs (1) and (2); Article 6A paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5); Article 22E paragraphs (1), (2), (6); and Article 28D paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution.

"In relation to the addition of touchstone, one argument was added so now there are 10 points of argument in the petition. Article 22 of Law Number 7 of 2017 adds the threshold requirement, which potentially eliminates alternative presidential and vice presidential candidates, which has actually been anticipated, even through the two-round system of presidential and vice presidential election, or the run-off system means there could be a large number of candidate pairs," he stressed.

Meanwhile, Heriyanto, attorney of the Petitioner of case No. 50/PUU-XVI/2018, explained that the legal standing had been revised. In addition, in the posita, it is explained that the concern among lawmakers that there would be large number of candidates if there was no presidential threshold for nomination is baseless because in the 1945 Constitution, it is already stated that the presidential election can be held in two rounds.

Before the session was concluded, Titi Anggraini requested that the Constitutional Court decide on the Petitioners\' case as soon as possible to anticipate the deadline of the presidential and vice presidential candidate nomination on August 4-10, 2018. Responding to the petition, Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra said that the petition would be proposed to the Justice Deliberation Meeting (RPH). (ARS/LA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti