MKRI Elects New Chief Justice-Deputy
16 March 2023

Constitutional Justices Anwar Usman and Saldi Isra were elected as chief justice and deputy chief justice of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia (MKRI) for 2023-2028. In a livestreamed public justice deliberation meeting on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 in the plenary courtroom, all nine constitutional justices voted for the new chief justice-deputy chief justice.

 

“The election of chief justice and deputy chief justice of the Constitutional Court for the 2023-2028 term commences and is open to the public,” said Chief Justice Anwar Usman opening the meeting.

 

The nine justices had had a closed deliberation meeting at 11:00–14:00 WIB to reach unanimity, but failed to do so. “The meeting has decided that the election of chief justice and deputy chief justice of the Constitutional Court for the 2023-2028 term be done through voting at an open plenary hearing,” the chief justice said.

 

Justice Anwar explained that all nine justices—Constitutional Justices Anwar Usman, Arief Hidayat, Wahiduddin Adams, Manahan M. P. Sitompul, Suhartoyo, Saldi Isra, Enny Nurbaningsih, Daniel Yusmic Pancastaki Foekh, and M. Guntur Hamzah—had the same right to elect and be elected as chief justice and deputy chief justice.

 

Chief Justice Anwar Usman was elected in the third round after both he and Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat tied with four votes each in the previous two rounds, with one justice abstaining. Only in the third round did he finally obtained five votes that secured his win.

 

“Everywhere, I have said that one’s position belongs to God. This afternoon, my fellow constitutional justices gave me a mandate. I hope the media will be monitoring us,” he said alongside Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra after the election.

 

Meanwhile, Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra was elected deputy chief justice after winning five votes in the first election, with Constitutional Justice Daniel Yusmic Pancastaki Foekh winning three votes and one justice abstaining.

 

Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra said the newly-elect chief and deputy would be focusing on preparing for the upcoming 2024 Simultaneous Election.

 

After election, based on Article 21 paragraph (3) of the Constitutional Court Law, before they assume positions, elect chief justice and deputy chief justice of the Constitutional Court take an oath of office according to their religion before the Court. Following PMK No. 1 of 2020 on the Constitutional Court Hearings, the oath of office will be taken at a special plenary hearing on Monday, March 20, 2023 at 11:00 WIB in the plenary courtroom. The special hearing will be witnessed by the president/vice president, heads of state agencies, ministers, other officials, and employees of the Registrar’s Office and the Secretariat-General of the Constitutional Court.


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