A visit by students of Tarumanegara University (UNTAR) on Thursday (28/2/2019). Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court welcomed the students of Tarumanegara University (UNTAR) on Thursday (28/2/2019). The student union members were eager to learn about the Constitutional Court. They were welcomed by researcher Titis Anindyajayati in the Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court.

Titis explained that the Constitutional Court was established post-reform on August 13, 2003 based on the Third Amendment to the 1945 Constitution. The Court has four authorities—examining laws against the 1945 Constitution, deciding on authority dispute of state institutions whose authorities were granted by the 1945 Constitution, deciding on the dissolution of political parties, and deciding on disputes over general/regional election results. The Court has one obligation, to decide on the alleged violation committed by the president and/or vice president.

She also explained that the Court was comprised of nine constitutional justices, who represented three branches of state power. “Three [justices] were nominated by the President, three [others] by the House of Representatives, and three [more] by the Supreme Court,” she explained.

During the question-and-answer session, a student asked about the body that oversaw the constitutional justices. Titis said that the authority of oversight of the constitutional justices lied with the ethics council. “The function of the ethics council is to enforce the code of ethics. [It is comprised] of three people, that is, a former constitutional justice, an academia, and a public figure. In case of a severe ethical violation, the Honorary Council of the Constitutional Court (MKMK) will be formed,” she explained.

Titis also explained five things about constitutional loss. First, the constitutional right of the petitioner granted by the 1945 Constitution that the petitioner deems have been violated by the impugned law. “The loss is specific or special and actual, or at least according to reasonable reasoning potentially occurs. There is cause-effect relationship (causal verband) between the loss and the enactment of the law requested for review, and there is the possibility that the granting of the petition will result in the constitutional loss not occurring at present or in the future,” she elaborated. (Lulu Anjarsari/Yuniar Widiastuti)