KPU rejects additional seats for Council

KPU rejects additional seats for Council

JAKARTA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) rejected on
Friday the City Council's demand for an increase in the number of
seats in the local legislature from 75 to 100 for the next
election on April 5.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said that the decision was
final and was based on the results of the recent voter
registration drive.

"We made the decision after considering the outcome of the
voter registration process. It won't be changed," he said.

There are about 8.6 million voters registered in Jakarta. Law
No. 12/2003 on General Elections provides that a province whose
population is between seven and nine million should only have 75
seats on its legislative council.

Agung Imam Soemanto of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said that Jakarta should be treated
differently from other provinces as it was the country's capital
and faced more complex problems.

He said that Jakarta also had to accommodate up to 14 million
people per day, referring to the commuters who flock to the city
every day from its hinterland.

Currently, there are 85 seats on the City Council. -- Antara