The Petitioners' legal counsel Philipus Fernandez (right) at the preliminary hearing of the East Flores regent election results dispute, Tuesday (1/14/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — East Flores Regent Candidate Pair 1 Y. A. T. Lukman Riberu-Zakarias Paun filed a petition to the Constitutional Court (MK) on the regent election results dispute.  The Petitioners of Case No. 211/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 argued the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki had significantly disrupted the election process in Wulanggitang and Ilebura districts.

In a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Petitioners' legal counsel Philipus Fernandez explained that on November 23, 2024, the East Flores KPU (Elections Commission), East Flores Forkopimda, the local government, the Police, the National Army, and the candidate representatives had agreed that the local government and the East Flores KPU would facilitate in escorting voters from the evacuation camps to the nearest polling stations on the election day.

In reality, the voters' escort did not go as planned. Many evacuees could not be transported to the polling stations due to the lack of vehicles, thus barred from exercising their right to vote. Many voters also did not receive the election notice (C-notice-KWK form).

"In these two districts, 29 polling stations did not facilitate polling optimally. Hence, afterwards the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) expressly stated there had been many shortcomings and violations due to the undelivered election notice to the evacuees," Philipus stated. 

As a result of this unpreparedness, the voter turnout went down significantly in the two impacted districts. The Petitioners claimed that 9,302 voters could not vote for the lack of relocation and mobilization.

Based on the arguments mentioned, the Petitioners believe there was a serious violation of the people's right to vote that should have been facilitated by the election organizer. Therefore, they requested that the Court annul the 2024 election results and order the KPU to conduct a revote in the regions impacted by the eruption. 

Author : Utami Argawati

Editor : Lulu Anjarsari P.

PR : Tiara Agustina

Translator : M. Hafidh Al Mukmin/FS (RA)

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian versions, the Indonesian version will prevail.

 

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