Constitutional Court Allows Regional Election Campaign on Campus Grounds

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of allowing regional election campaigns to take place on university campuses. The decision follows a petition filed by two students, challenging the constitutionality of a law prohibiting such activities.

The court found that the phrase "educational place" in Article 69i of Law No. 1 of 2015, which prohibits campaigning on educational grounds, contradicts the 1945 Constitution. 

The court emphasized that universities can grant permission for campaigns to occur on campus grounds as long as campaign activities adhere to specific regulations, such as permits from the campus authority and no campaign attributes.

As quoted from the official court’s website on Tuesday, August 20, Constitutional Justice M. Guntur Hamzah explained that the ruling aims to foster a more constructive and democratic electoral process. By allowing campaigns on campus, students can actively engage with political candidates and develop a deeper understanding of their platforms. This hopefully leads to political maturity in the community.

The petitioners, Sandy Yudha Pratama Hulu and Stefanie Gloria, argued that the prohibition on campus campaigning hindered their ability to critically evaluate regional election candidates and participate meaningfully in the electoral process.

HENDRIK YAPUTRA

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