JAKARTA: An Indonesian court on Tuesday (Apr 11) overturned a lower court’s controversial order to delay 2024 presidential and general elections by two years, arguing it had overstepped its jurisdiction and had no authority to make the decision.
The Jakarta High Court’s decision, after an appeal by Indonesia’s election commission, will ease political uncertainty in the world’s third-largest democracy, and means the February 2024 elections should be able to go ahead as scheduled.
Deciding chief judge Sugeng Riyono said the Central Jakarta district court in its ruling last month had no authority or competence to deliberate on the matter.
The Mar 2 ruling stunned many politicians and members of the public in Indonesia, after it ordered all election activities be stopped because of a complaint by an obscure party whose application to run was denied.
Responding to the decision, the election commission’s chief, Hasyim Asy’ari, in a text message to reporters said “Alhamdulillah (Thank God) the 2024 election is going ahead.”