Democratic Party loses two seats in DPR

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta

The Constitutional Court annulled on Tuesday two of the 57 House of Representatives seats the Democratic Party won in the legislative election, giving one each to the Pioneers' Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

The panel of nine justices ruled in favor of the Pioneers' Party, which alleged that almost 8,000 of its votes in Papua had gone to the Democratic Party, costing it a coveted House seat.

"The KPU has failed to record the correct number of votes the Pioneers' Party won during the election on April 5 in Papua," Constitutional Court chairman Jimly Asshidiqie told the hearing.

Based on General Elections Commission (KPU) data, the Pioneers' Party managed only 16,819 votes. The party earlier insisted it had won up to 44,638 votes.

The court said the Democratic Party, which was originally awarded 43,230 votes in the province, had failed to present strong evidence irregularities in the vote counting had not occurred.

The party has nominated Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as its presidential candidate.

Led by Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the sister of incumbent president and Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri, the Pioneers' Party now has three seats in the House.

The Democratic Party was dealt another blow after the court also ruled in favor of PAN's claim.

According to the judges, PAN proved its claim that it won 62,203 votes in Southeast Sulawesi, almost 10,000 more than the KPU's original tally of 52,222.

"The KPU had failed to record the votes for PAN from the Donggala regency," Jimly said.

With the additional seat PAN now has 53 seats in the House.

On Monday, the court granted an additional House seat to the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), which now has 13 seats, at the expense of the United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK) whose seats have been reduced to four.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the court also granted two seats to the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK) in the Gianyar, Bali and Binjai, North Sumatra regental legislatures at the expense of the Golkar Party.

The court said Golkar won some of its votes illegally to beat PNBK in the race for legislative seats in the regencies.

PAN also won seven extra seats in the regental legislatures in Banyuasin, Sumbawa, Kota Jambi, South Bengkulu, Semarang and Batam.

In South Bengkulu, Semarang and Kota Jambi, the court said there was a mark-up in the number of votes won by the PNBK, the United Development Party and the Indonesia New Alliance Party (PPIB) respectively that caused PAN to lose seats.

The court ordered the KPU to change its results tally, made official by decree No. 44/2004.

The court is set to complete the hearing of a total of 287 cases filed by 23 political parties on June 20 as the KPU must announce the official result of the legislative election later in the month. The court's verdict is final and binding.