House of Representatives’ Decision can Harm Judicial Independence

The sudden decision to replace Constitutional Court Justice Aswanto with Constitutional Court secretary-general Guntur Hamzah has been criticized for being arbitrary and harming the independence of the judiciary.

KOMPAS/SUSANA RITA KUMALASANTI

Screenshot of the DPR session approving the Secretary General of the Constitutional Court Guntur Hamzah to become a constitutional judge from the DPR replacing the current Deputy Chairperson of the Constitutional Court, Aswanto, in the DPR plenary meeting, Thursday (29/9/2022)

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The House of Representatives has decided not to extend the term of constitutional judge Aswanto, who is also the Constitutional Court’s chief justice. The sudden decision to replace Aswanto has been criticized for being arbitrary and harming the independence of the judiciary.

The decision to replace Aswanto was conveyed at the 7th House of Representatives plenary meeting of 2022-2023 on Thursday (29/9/2022). “We will not extend the term of the constitutional judge who was proposed by the House, namely Aswanto, and [instead] appoint Guntur Hamzah as a constitutional judge from the House,” said House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad.