Respondent's Legal Counsel Ahmad Afandy Muliawan when giving a statement in the hearing of Case No.151/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 regarding the Central Tapanuli Regent Election Results Dispute (PHPU Bup). The hearing was presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra, accompanied by Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani at the Constitutional Court. Monday (1/20/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) – The Respondent, the Central Tapanuli Regency KPU (Elections Commission) represented by legal counsel Ahmad Afandy Muliawan rejected the Petitioner's argument of the Respondent's unprofessionalism in organizing the 2024 Central Tapanuli Regency election. The Petitioners argued this due to the acceptance of the Relevant Party as a candidate pair in the election. This response was presented in the examination hearing to hear the Respondent's response, testimony from the Relevant Party and Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body), and approving evidence from the parties for Case No. 151/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Afandy clarified that the acceptance of the Relevant Party as a candidate pair in the 2024 Central Tapanuli Regency election was due to the extension of the registration period, referring to the PKPU of 10/2024, which permits the Respondent to extend the registration if only one candidate pair accepted by the end of the registration period for the position of regent and deputy regent.

"From the registration opened on August 27, 2024, to August 29, 2024, only one candidate pair registered, Khairul Kiyedi Pasaribu and Darwin Sitompul," said Afandy.

Therefore, the Respondent requests the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and affirm the validity of the Central Tapanuli KPU on the certification of the 2024 Central Tapanuli Regency election results.

On behalf of the Relevant Party, legal counsel Arteria Dahlan also rejected the argument of the Respondent’s unprofessionalism in the Central Tapanuli Regency for accepting them as a candidate pair. Arteria argued that following the Court Decree No. 60/PUU-XXII/2024 and PKPU 10/2024, both the Respondent and political parties or coalitions had the opportunity to present new candidates in the election.

Therefore, the Respondent requests the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and affirm the validity of the Central Tapanuli KPU on the certification of the 2024 Central Tapanuli Regency election results.

Meanwhile, Bawaslu of Central Tapanuli Regency, represented by Setia Wati Simanjuntak testified the extension of registration and the acceptance of the Relevant Party as a candidate pair in the 2024 Central Tapanuli Regency election did not constitute an administrative violation, as the Respondent had properly received the registration document files of the Relevant Party.

Also read: Khairul-Darwin Accuse KPU of Unprofessionalism in Central Tapanuli Regent Election

The petition for Case No. 151/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author: Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor: N. Rosi

Translator: Syifa Amelia/FS

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.

---