Ethics Violation Complaint Against Adies Kadir Dismissed by MKMK; Complainant to Bring Case to the State Administrative Court (PTUN).

JAKARTA — A suit alleging ethics violations lodged against Constitutional Court Justice Adies Kadir collapsed after being rejected by the Majelis Kehormatan Mahkamah Konstitusi (MKMK). In the ruling session held on Thursday (5 March 2026), the MKMK stated it had no jurisdiction to try the three reports submitted in connection with Adies Kadir. ‘The Majelis Kehormatan is not authorised to examine, try, or rule on the reports,’ said I Dewa Gede Palguna, chairman of the Majelis Kehormatan of the Constitutional Court, at the MK building in Jakarta.

The MKMK also provided several considerations before delivering its decision on the reports of alleged ethics violations in the process of selecting Adies as a Constitutional Court judge. It is known that the three bodies able to nominate a Constitutional Court judge are the House of Representatives (DPR RI), the Supreme Court, and the President of the Republic of Indonesia. ‘Not only is the Majelis Kehormatan lacking jurisdiction; the Constitutional Court itself does not have the power to intervene in the procedural stage of the judge recruitment,’ said MKMK member Yuliandri during the session.

Yuliandri explained that the procedural stages for selecting and naming someone as a Constitutional Court judge are governed by law, in which the Court does not participate as an institution. He stressed the need for strict limits between the powers of each state body, including the DPR’s authority to nominate a Constitutional Court judge and the MKMK’s authority to safeguard the honour and dignity of the Constitutional Court. Accordingly, the Majelis Kehormatan not only lacks authority but would be unethical to meddle or intervene.

‘These limits are important to respect the existence and powers of each state institution and to maintain the independence of each of these bodies,’ Yuliandri said. In addition, the MKMK noted that the description in the report relates to Adies Kadir, who has not yet been officially sworn in as a Constitutional Court judge. It is explained that the scope of the MKMK applies only to someone who is currently serving as a Constitutional Court judge, as set out in Sapta Karsa Hutama. ‘A person who has not yet served as a Constitutional Court judge or who has finished their term is no longer bound by Sapta Karsa Hutama,’ Ridwan Mansyur, an MKMK member, said during the session.