Expert: Appointment of Supreme Court and Ad Hoc Judges Should Consider Five Aspects
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Prof Susi Dwi Harijanti, Professor of Constitutional Law at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Padjadjaran, stated that several matters should be considered in the appointment of Supreme Court judges and ad hoc judges.
This step is necessary to ensure that the selection of candidates for Supreme Court judges and ad hoc judges proceeds transparently and independently, resulting in the selection of judges who are truly professional, have integrity, and are free from interference by power or politics.
“First, from the aspect of the cognitive quality and integrity of the candidates,” said Susi when confirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She explained that this cognitive quality aspect can be seen from reasoning ability and knowledge, among others, in producing written works and draft decisions that can be confirmed in interviews with assessments of written works and draft decisions.
Meanwhile, the integrity aspect can be obtained through tracing track records and psychological test results.
Second, from the aspect of the assessors of written works and draft decisions.
“These assessors can come from academic circles who have a solid and independent academic track record,” she said.
Third, continued she, from the aspect of the Judicial Commission.
According to her, the commissioners must truly position themselves as actors who uphold the principles of appointing Supreme Court and ad hoc judges to produce quality and integrity-driven candidates for Supreme Court and ad hoc judges.
“This needs to be emphasised considering the diverse backgrounds of the KY commissioners, which have the potential to create conflicts of interest. For example, whether there are commissioners indicated to have ties to political parties, oligarchs, and others,” she said.
Fourth, said she, how to minimise the potential for politicking in the appointment due to the involvement of political institutions, namely the House of Representatives (DPR RI).
“Fifth, specifically for ad hoc judges. Because the existence of ad hoc judges is based on specific expertise. Therefore, they are often filled by academics and practitioners who have specific expertise in certain fields,” said Susi.
Anita Kadir, a member of the KY and Chair of the Inter-Institutional Relations and Information Services Division, stated that this selection is a follow-up to the official request from the Supreme Court regarding the filling of judge positions.
“The Judicial Commission has received a letter from the Supreme Court regarding the request to fill those vacancies on 26 February 2026,” she said in Jakarta on Monday (30/3).
Based on that request, the need for Supreme Court judges includes two in the civil chamber, four in the criminal chamber, two in the religious chamber, and three in the state administrative chamber specifically for tax matters.
Meanwhile, the need for ad hoc judges is three people, consisting of two ad hoc human rights judges and one ad hoc corruption judge.
The KY is opening online registration from 26 March to 16 April 2026 at 23:59 WIB through the official KY recruitment page, namely rekrutmen.komisiyudisial.go.id, and the email rekrutmen@komisiyudisial.go.id.
The selection stages include registration, administrative selection, quality, health, and personality tests, open interviews, up to determination of passing and submission to the DPR RI.
Andi Muhammad Asrun, a member of the KY Recruitment Division for Judges, emphasised that the selection is conducted openly with the principle of equality for all participants.
“The principles upheld in this selection are equal opportunity and equal treatment,” he said.
In addition, the KY is also disseminating selection information to various legal professional organisations, academics, and judicial observers to net quality candidates.
The KY assesses that the online-based selection system is part of efforts to expand access, increase transparency, and ensure accountability in the judge recruitment process at the Supreme Court level.