JAKARTA, LiterasiHukum.com – The Constitutional Court (MK) opened the 2026 trial year with a monumental decision that has never happened before in the history of Indonesian elections. In the Special Plenary Session for the presentation of the 2025 Annual Report as well as the opening of the 2026 Trial Period at the MK Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (7/1) and released today (8/1), Chief Justice Suhartoyo revealed that the Court had decided to disqualify all candidate pairs (paslon) participants in the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) in North Barito Regency, Central Kalimantan.

This extreme decision was taken after the Court found irrefutable evidence of money politics practices (vote buying) carried out in a Structured, Systematic and Massive (TSM) manner by the two competing camps.

"For the first time, the Constitutional Court disqualified all candidate pairs in one region, namely in North Barito Regency, because they were proven to have carried out massive vote buying," said Chief Justice Suhartoyo in his report speech.

In the legal considerations read out by Constitutional Justice Guntur Hamzah, shocking trial facts were revealed. Candidate pair number 02, Akhmad Gunadi Nadalsyah-Sastra Jaya, was proven to have given cash up to Rp 16 juta per voter. On the other hand, his competitor, candidate pair number 01, Gogo Purman Jaya-Hendro Nakalelo, was also proven to have committed similar practices with nominal Rp 6,5 juta per voter accompanied by a promise of Umrah pilgrimage.

"There is no doubt for the Court to declare disqualification of the Candidate Pairs for Regent and Deputy Regent, both number 1 and number 2," said Guntur Hamzah. On that basis, the Constitutional Court ordered the General Election Commission (KPU) to hold a comprehensive Re-Voting (PSU) by opening registration for new candidates, because the previous participants had been declared legally invalid.

This decision is a stern warning (strong warning) for local democracy in Indonesia. Constitutional law experts assess that this step by the Constitutional Court confirms the Court's shift from merely a "Dispute Result Calculator" to a guardian of substantial democratic integrity. Throughout 2025, the Constitutional Court recorded handling 334 cases of disputes over the results of regional head elections (PHPU), of which 27 applications were granted, including this total disqualification decision.

In addition to the Pilkada issue, in the annual report the Constitutional Court also highlighted its readiness to face a wave of judicial review after the National Criminal Code comes into full effect in January 2026.