Democratic Party loses two seats in DPR<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Constitutional Court annulled on Tuesday two of the 57 House
\nof Representatives seats the Democratic Party won in the
\nlegislative election, giving one each to the Pioneers' Party and
\nthe National Mandate Party (PAN).<\/p>\n
The panel of nine justices ruled in favor of the Pioneers'
\nParty, which alleged that almost 8,000 of its votes in Papua had
\ngone to the Democratic Party, costing it a coveted House seat.<\/p>\n
\"The KPU has failed to record the correct number of votes the
\nPioneers' Party won during the election on April 5 in Papua,\"
\nConstitutional Court chairman Jimly Asshidiqie told the hearing.<\/p>\n
Based on General Elections Commission (KPU) data, the
\nPioneers' Party managed only 16,819 votes. The party earlier
\ninsisted it had won up to 44,638 votes.<\/p>\n
The court said the Democratic Party, which was originally
\nawarded 43,230 votes in the province, had failed to present
\nstrong evidence irregularities in the vote counting had not
\noccurred.<\/p>\n
The party has nominated Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as
\nits presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
Led by Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the sister of incumbent
\npresident and Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
\nleader Megawati Soekarnoputri, the Pioneers' Party now has three
\nseats in the House.<\/p>\n
The Democratic Party was dealt another blow after the court
\nalso ruled in favor of PAN's claim.<\/p>\n
According to the judges, PAN proved its claim that it won
\n62,203 votes in Southeast Sulawesi, almost 10,000 more than the
\nKPU's original tally of 52,222.<\/p>\n
\"The KPU had failed to record the votes for PAN from the
\nDonggala regency,\" Jimly said.<\/p>\n
With the additional seat PAN now has 53 seats in the House.<\/p>\n
On Monday, the court granted an additional House seat to the
\nProsperous Peace Party (PDS), which now has 13 seats, at the
\nexpense of the United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK) whose
\nseats have been reduced to four.<\/p>\n
During the hearing on Tuesday, the court also granted two
\nseats to the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK) in the Gianyar,
\nBali and Binjai, North Sumatra regental legislatures at the
\nexpense of the Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
The court said Golkar won some of its votes illegally to beat
\nPNBK in the race for legislative seats in the regencies.<\/p>\n
PAN also won seven extra seats in the regental legislatures in
\nBanyuasin, Sumbawa, Kota Jambi, South Bengkulu, Semarang and
\nBatam.<\/p>\n
In South Bengkulu, Semarang and Kota Jambi, the court said
\nthere was a mark-up in the number of votes won by the PNBK, the
\nUnited Development Party and the Indonesia New Alliance Party
\n(PPIB) respectively that caused PAN to lose seats.<\/p>\n
The court ordered the KPU to change its results tally, made
\nofficial by decree No. 44\/2004.<\/p>\n
The court is set to complete the hearing of a total of 287
\ncases filed by 23 political parties on June 20 as the KPU must
\nannounce the official result of the legislative election later in
\nthe month. The court's verdict is final and binding.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/democratic-party-loses-two-seats-in-dpr-1447893297",
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