Court ready for impeachment cases

JAKARTA: The Supreme Court is preparing a regulation to govern the hearing of petitions to dismiss local government chief executives brought by local legislatures.

Chief Justice Bagir Manan said on Monday that the regulation would spell out the procedures for bringing such petitions and for their handling by the Supreme Court.

Bagir said the Supreme Court would accept petitions seeking the removal of governors and disputes over the results of direct gubernatorial elections.

The provincial high courts, meanwhile, would be able to hear impeachment cases involving mayors and regents, and disputes over the results of mayoral and regental elections.

The direct election of local government chief executives will start in July next year. -- JP