This Article is From Aug 06, 2014

Indonesian Court Opens Hearing on Election Dispute

Indonesian Court Opens Hearing on Election Dispute

Indonesian presidential candidate Joko Widodo (L) gestures as delivers a speech, beside his running mate Jusuf Kalla, on a phinisi boat, a traditional Indonesian ship, at Sunda Kelapa port after he was declared the winner of the presidential elect

Jakarta: Indonesia's Constitutional Court has opened a hearing on a dispute over the results of the July 9 presidential election, which ended in the victory of Jakarta Gov. Joko Widodo.

Losing candidate Prabowo Subianto filed complaints to the court last month, alleging that "structural, systematical and massive frauds" by the Election Commission has damaged his chances of leading the country.

During the first hearing Wednesday, his lawyers say millions of votes cast for the Suharto-era general were lost due to irregularities at more than 52,000 polling stations.

They allege that poll officials inflated the other candidate's results, voters used improper registration cards and recounts were done inconsistently.

The hearing resumes next week. The court's ruling, which cannot be appealed, is expected Aug. 21.
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