KPU asked to void memo on ballot counting<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The election supervisory body called on the General Elections
\nCommission on Tuesday to retract an official memo, which states
\nthat the counting of dozens of ballot papers intended for other
\nelectoral districts was legal, arguing that such a measure was in
\nviolation of the Election Law.<\/p>\n
As of noon on Tuesday, data from the Election Supervisory
\nCommittee (Panwaslu) showed that cases involving ballot papers
\nthat were used in the wrong electoral districts were found in 189
\npolling stations in 20 provinces.<\/p>\n
For instance ballot papers intended for Jember in East Java
\nwere used in Klaten in Central Java.<\/p>\n
\"Elections in such cases should be repeated\", Panwaslu said.<\/p>\n
Committee member Topo Santoso said the memo issued on the
\nevening of April 5 could give rise to lawsuits from legislative
\ncandidates contesting seats in those areas. Topo said it could
\nalso lead to a legal dispute on the validity of the overall
\nelection result.<\/p>\n
The KPU memo says it is legal for local election
\nadministrators to validate a perforation that was made on a
\nballot paper intended for other electoral districts.<\/p>\n
However, the memo's stipulations apply only if there was the
\nconsent of political party representatives the polling station
\nstations as witnesses\/monitors. Otherwise, balloting for
\nlegislative candidates at both provincial and regental levels
\nwould have to be repeated.<\/p>\n
Topo said the likelihood that a legislative candidate would
\nfile an objection to the Constitutional Court is high. \"We can
\nunderstand if the court approves the objection and declares the
\nvote illegal, as such ballot counting violates the principles of
\nproportionality and openness,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The People's Voters Education Network (JPPR), which involves
\nover 10,000 observers, said that despite a lack of violence or
\nintimidation, there were a significant number of cases of
\nelectoral fraud and cheating occurred in many areas.<\/p>\n
\"Four percent of the JPPR observers reported instances of
\nelectoral fraud and cheating, the worst being in Karawang
\nregency, West Java, in Lebak regency in Banten province and Lima
\nPuluh Koto regency in West Sumatra,\" the JPPR's spokesperson
\nstated.<\/p>\n
However, \"Approximately 96 percent of our observers stated
\nthat the election was free and fair,\" JPPR said.<\/p>\n
Despite several violations of election procedures by KPU,
\nlegal experts warned that political parties should not use them
\nas justification to simply annul the election result.<\/p>\n
M. Fadjrul Falaakh and Maria Farida Indrati said annulling the
\nelection result was possible only if substantial issues were
\nviolated. \"Failure to deliver election materials is only
\ntechnical,\" Fadjrul said.<\/p>\n
One day after the polls, in a number of provinces the
\nCommittee reported rampant violations of balloting rules in
\npolling stations.<\/p>\n
In Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi, the Committee reported
\nviolations ranging from a shortage of ballot papers which meant
\nsome people were denied the right to vote, to distribution of
\nmoney prior to the balloting.<\/p>\n
In Batam, Riau province, Committee officials found bogus
\npolling stations, which cause serious problems for the tabulation
\nof votes.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kpu-asked-to-void-memo-on-ballot-counting-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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