TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Supreme Court (MA) on Wednesday, May 29, granted the request of Garuda Party Chairman Ahmad Ridha Sabana to change the age requirements for candidates in the regional election in its ruling No. 23 P/HUM/2024.

In the decision received by Tempo, the Supreme Court revised the age criteria of governor and deputy governor candidates to 30 years old when they are inaugurated, as opposed to the previous requirement of 30 years old at the time their candidacy is confirmed.

Titi Anggraini, an election expert from the University of Indonesia (UI), argued that the Supreme Court appears to lack comprehension of the fact that regional elections are conducted in a series of interlinked stages. She stressed that the candidate status is not exclusively attributed to an individual contesting regional elections at the time of inauguration.

“A candidate status is attached when the KPU (General Election Commission) determines someone as a candidate. That's why the Regional Election Law recognizes the terminology of would-be candidates and candidates,” Titi told Tempo on Thursday, May 30.

Titi opined that the Supreme Court's decision mirrors a similar ruling by the Constitutional Court during the 2024 presidential election. “Moreover, it is issued when the nomination process is already underway via the individual route,” she added.

Besides, this PKPU or KPU Regulation is old, and the KPU did not intend to stray from the Regional Election Law, as is the case with the KPU on the provisions on women's representation in the legislative elections.

“So this decision should not be applicable to the candidacy for the 2024 regional election because the nomination stages are already in progress, ensuring that individual candidates who have readied their candidacy earlier do not perceive unfair treatment,” said Titi.

DEFARA DHANYA PARAMITHA

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