Verdict on Depok poll to be reviewed

JAKARTA: The Supreme Court has assigned five justices to review the controversial ruling of the West Java High Court, which annulled the result of the Depok mayoral election.

Supreme Court Justice Gunanto Suryono said on Thursday that he and the other assigned judges were also members of a special Supreme Court panel who previously studied the case at the request of Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan, and issued a report faulting the West Java High Court judges for their "unprofessional conduct" in issuing the verdict.

The West Java High Court annulled last month the victory of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) candidate Nur Mahmudi Ismail in the June 26 election, and declared Golkar Party candidate Badrul Kamal the winner.

The PKS and the Depok General Elections Commission protested the ruling, with the latter filing for a judicial review of the verdict with the Supreme Court. -- Antara