The Petitioners’ legal counsels at the ruling hearing for case No. 323/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 Empat Lawang regent election results dispute, Monday (5/26/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) — Based on Decision No. 24/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, the Constitutional Court (MK) ordered that a revote be held with two candidate pairs, so all electoral results dispute issues have been finalized, the Court held in its legal consideration, delivered by Constitutional Justice M. Guntur Hamzah at the ruling hearing for the 2024 Empat Lawang regent-vice regent election revote results dispute on Monday, May 26, 2025.

On the petition filed by Empat Lawang regent-vice regent candidates number 1 Budi Antoni Al Jufri-Henny Verawati, the Court declared all election process before Decision No. 24/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 had been annulled, so it was irrelevant for the Petitioners to challenge it again.

“Especially the petition after the revote had a different object of dispute from that of the previous regent-vice regent election. As such, the argument of the a quo Petitioners were legally groundless,” Justice Guntur said while delivering Decision No. 323/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

No DKPP Decree

The Petitioners alleged that the Empat Lawang Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) chairman and members had committed ethics violations and shown bias in favor of the Relevant Party. However, after reviewing the litigants’ evidence and legal facts during proceedings, the Court held that it had not found any evidence that the authority on electoral ethics violations, the Election Organizer Ethics Council (DKPP), had issued any decree on the issue. “Since the complainant did not complete the material requirements for the revision of the report, the argument of the a quo Petitioners was legally groundless,” said Justice Guntur.

Political Awareness

The Petitioners had alleged that the Empat Lawang Elections Commission (KPU) as Respondent had manipulated election notification letters. On this, the Court held that the matter did not fall entirely on the Respondent because voters had a role in it.

The community is required to have political awareness to actively seek information and communicate with the Respondent. Despite not having received an invitation until election day, final voters listed in the DPT did not lose their voting right, because they could have voted using their electronic ID card (e-KTP), as stipulated under the KPU Regulation No. 17 of 2024. Not to mention, evidence showed that the Respondent had issued a circular letter to maximize voter participation in the revote.

“[The Court] adjudicated, on exceptions: to grant the Respondent’s and the Relevant Party’s exceptions on the Petitioners’ legal standing, to reject the Respondent’s and the Relevant Party’s exceptions for the rest and remainder; on the merit: to declare the Petitioners’ petition inadmissible,” said Chief Justice Suhartoyo delivering the verdict.

Also read:

Vote Buying, ASN Interference Highlighted in Empat Lawang Regent Election Dispute

Empat Lawang KPU Refutes PPK, PPS, KPPS’ Interference in Revote

At the preliminary hearing on Thursday, May 15, the Petitioners alleged that candidate pair number 2 Joncik Muhammad-Arifa’i (Relevant Party) had committed massive vote buying since the campaign until voting day, which they alleged had been disregarded by the Regency Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body). Residents of Suka Dana Village, Muara Pinang District like Pebriansyah, Muryani, and Eka Wati as well as residents of Batu Lintang, Karang Dapo Lama, Tanjung Agung, and Muara Kalangan Villages of Ulu Musi District like Herly and Susi Wati were given Rp150.000.

The Petitioners also alleged that state civil apparatus (ASN), village apparatus, village administrators and/or facilitators, and village chiefs had shown support for candidate pair number 2. It was reported to the Regency Bawaslu on April 18. They also alleged that PPS (polling committee) head and KPPS (polling station working committee) members had committed violation during the revote in Nanjungan Village of Pasemah Air Keruh District by showing support for candidate pair number 2. The Petitioners also discovered that the attendance lists (C-attendance list forms) had been signed by unauthorized individuals, likely by the KPPS, given the Regency KPU’s biased support for candidate pair number 2.

Also read:

Length of Office Term Questioned in Empat Lawang Regency Election Dispute

Empat Lawang Election Dispute Focuses on Term Length Issue

Budi Antoni Al Jufri’s Term Office as Empat Lawang Regent Highlighted

Court Confirms Budi-Henny's Eligibility to Run in Empat Lawang Regent Election

Author       : Sri Pujianti
Editor        : N. Rosi
PR            : Fauzan F.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

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.

---