The Constitutional Court ordered the General Election Commission (KPU) to hold new simultaneous regional elections within one year from polling day, November 27, if a single candidate fails to garner enough votes. votes to win an election uncontested.

At a hearing on Thursday, the court ruled in favor of the petitioners in a judicial review against sections of the 2016 regional election law on new votes in the case of uncontested presidential candidates. a region that would not have obtained enough votes to win the race.

If the single pair of candidates fails to garner more than 50 percent of the total votes, the law states that the “white box” will be declared the winner of the election, prompting the election organizer to hold a new vote “the following year” or “at a later date”. time scheduled later according to the regulations in force”.

The plaintiffs argued that this last sentence could potentially give rise to multiple interpretations and legal uncertainty regarding the new election, given that current law requires regional elections to be held every five years.

The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, with Chief Justice Suhartoyo saying during Thursday’s hearing that the provision contravened the 1945 Constitution and lacked clarity.

“Subsequent elections must be held within a maximum of one year from the date of the initial vote,” Suhartoyo said in the ruling.

The judges also affirmed that the regional leaders elected in the new elections would exercise their functions until the inauguration of their successors elected in the following elections, “provided that this mandate does not exceed five years from the date of their inauguration.