Serang Raya University students visiting the Constitutional Court on Thursday (15/11) in the Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK.

138 students of Serang Raya University visited the Constitutional Court on Thursday (15/11/2018) as part of their fieldwork practice (PKL). Lecturer and leader of the group, Sulasno, said that the law program in the university had only been open for two years. They were welcomed by researcher Winda Wijayanti in the Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court. She explained the history of the Constitutional Court and its authorities.

She explained four authorities and one obligation of the Court granted by the 1945 Constitution. The authorities are the judicial review of laws against the 1945 Constitution, the resolution of interagency authority dispute, the resolution of legislative and presidential election result dispute, and the dissolution of political parties. One obligation granted to the Court is deciding on the House’s opinion of alleged violation committed by the president and/or vice president.

The resolution of regional election result dispute, Winda said, is still handled by the Constitutional Court. However, in the future it will be handled by a special judiciary.

She explained that the idea of a state institution that reviews laws against the Constitution was proposed in the early days after the independence by M. Yamin. The Supreme Court was expected to do it. However, the idea was rejected by Soepomo due to lack of legal scholars.

Winda also detailed four parties who can file a petition to the Constitutional Court: Indonesian citizens, customary law communities, private and public legal entities, as well as state institutions. Aside from having a discussion, the students watched a hearing at the Court. (Arif S./LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)