{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1808342,
        "msgid": "constitutional-court-rejects-challenge-to-kpu-bawaslu-age-limits-deems-requirement-rational-1781700664",
        "date": "2026-06-17 18:51:00",
        "title": "Constitutional Court Rejects Challenge to KPU-Bawaslu Age Limits, Deems Requirement Rational",
        "author": "Gana Buana",
        "source": "MEDIA_INDONESIA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Legal",
        "summary": "Indonesia's Constitutional Court has dismissed a judicial review petition against the minimum age requirements for election organisers KPU and Bawaslu. The court ruled that the age limit is rationally connected to the maturity, competence, and integrity needed for the roles. It emphasised that the provision does not deny citizens' rights but merely defers their exercise until the legal age is met.",
        "content": "<p>The Constitutional Court (MK) has rejected a petition against the\nminimum age requirement for prospective members of the General Elections\nCommission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu). The MK\nassessed that the age requirement stipulated in the Election Law has a\nrational basis because it relates to the maturity, competence, and\nintegrity required of election organisers. \u201cThe petition is rejected in\nits entirety,\u201d said Chief Justice Suhartoyo while reading the verdict at\nthe MK Building in Jakarta on Wednesday (17\/6). The petition was filed\nby Yunita Utami Panuntun and Muah Hadi Rahman Arahab, who challenged\nArticle 21 paragraph (1) letter b and Article 117 paragraph (1) letter b\nof Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections, as last amended by\nLaw Number 7 of 2023. In its legal considerations, Constitutional\nJustice Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh stated that the petitioners had legal\nstanding to file the petition. However, the Court was of the opinion\nthat the arguments submitted were legally unfounded. The MK explained\nthat the minimum age limit for KPU and Bawaslu candidates is part of a\nseries of requirements designed to ensure the quality of election\norganisers. Unlike members of the DPR or DPRD who are directly elected\nby the people through elections, KPU and Bawaslu members are chosen\nthrough a selection process that emphasises specific competencies and\nexpertise. \u201cElection organisers are positions resulting from a selection\nprocess that are characteristically chosen because they possess or meet\nexpertise with explicit requirements stipulated in the law,\u201d the Court\nstated in its considerations. According to the MK, KPU candidates must\nhave knowledge and expertise related to election administration,\nconstitutional law, and political parties. Meanwhile, Bawaslu candidates\nare required to have abilities and expertise in election administration,\nelection supervision, constitutional law, and political parties. Beyond\ncompetence, candidates must also meet requirements of integrity, strong\npersonality, honesty, and fairness. The Court assessed that all these\nrequirements are closely related to a person\u2019s level of maturity, which\ncan be measured, among other things, by age. \u201cThe age or minimum age\nrequirement stipulated in the law has a rational basis and correlation\nwith these requirements, particularly concerning maturity,\u201d said Daniel.\nThe MK also rejected the petitioners\u2019 argument that the minimum age\nrequirement violates the principle of equality before the law and equal\nopportunity in government as guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution.\nAccording to the Court, the minimum age rule does not eliminate a\ncitizen\u2019s right to become a KPU or Bawaslu member. The provision merely\nregulates when that right can be exercised after a person meets the\nrequirements set by law. \u201cThe norm regulating the age or minimum age\nlimit does not close off opportunities for citizens, but rather\npostpones the exercise of citizens\u2019 constitutional rights until the\nminimum age requirement is met,\u201d Daniel asserted. The MK added that age\nis a common measure used in law to describe a person\u2019s level of\nmaturity. Therefore, the establishment of a minimum age limit for KPU\nand Bawaslu candidates is still considered relevant and proportional.\nThe Court assessed that this requirement is also related to the need for\nexperience, knowledge, and ability to carry out duties as independent\nand high-integrity election organisers. \u201cThe minimum age requirement can\nbe seen as one of the rational conditions in assessing the suitability\nof KPU or Bawaslu candidates to carry out their duties and functions as\nelection organisers to realise elections with integrity,\u201d said\nDaniel.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/constitutional-court-rejects-challenge-to-kpu-bawaslu-age-limits-deems-requirement-rational-1781700664",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}