DPR Tells Constitutional Court: Capital Relocation Cannot Be Done Automatically

Jakarta — The House of Representatives (DPR), represented by Commission III member Rudianto Lallo, has stated that relocation of the nation’s capital requires extensive preparation and therefore cannot be executed automatically.

This was communicated during a hearing session where the DPR provided statements in case Number 38/PUU-XXIV/2026 at the Constitutional Court building in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

Astro Alfa Liecharlie, as the petitioner in case Number 38/PUU-XXIV/2026, challenged the constitutionality of Article II of Law Number 151 of 2024 concerning amendments to Law Number 2 of 2024 on the Special Region Province of Jakarta.

Rudianto, representing the DPR, explained that the phrase “subsequently” in Article II of the Jakarta law is not intended as an ambiguous provision. Rather, it represents a legal formulation providing flexible open legal policy discretion to the government in determining the timing of capital relocation implementation, whilst considering infrastructure readiness, adequate facilities and infrastructure, as well as the administrative ecosystem required of a capital city, according to statements made during the hearing and cited from MKRI’s YouTube broadcast on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

For this reason, the DPR has not established a time limit for the issuance of a Presidential Decree regarding capital relocation.

“The absence of a time limit for the Presidential Decree concerning capital relocation is based on careful and comprehensive consideration of IKN readiness. This includes aspects of planning, financing and investment, infrastructure development, institutional readiness of the IKN Authority, civil service apparatus relocation, and support from the social, economic, and environmental ecosystems,” Rudianto stated.

“Therefore, capital relocation cannot be done hastily. Moreover, if a mandatory time limit were established as law, it could potentially result in legal consequences where the law’s mandate is not fulfilled on time,” Rudianto added.

Astro has contended that the phrase “subsequently” is ambiguous and does not provide clear time boundaries for issuing the Presidential Decree to establish capital relocation from Jakarta to IKN.

Consequently, the President issued the decree beyond the time limit mandated by Article 71 of the Jakarta Special Region Province Law.