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JAKARTA : Pressure is mounting on Indonesia's Election Commission over allegations of irregular voters' list in the recent parliamentary election.
At least two civil groups - Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, and Indonesian Women's Association for Justice - have filed civil suits against the Election Commission and the government, for failing to allow millions of Indonesians from voting on April 9.
Almost half of the 38 national political parties have described the elections as unfair and undemocratic.
Vote counting is still under way but interim results show President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democrat Party looks set to secure victory.
The Indonesian Election Commission came under siege and police cordoned its headquarters in Jakarta to deter potential attacks by Indonesians who are angry over flawed voters' list.
Some 20 million people were not able to vote on the April 9 polling day.
Almost half of the 38 National Parties that participated in the elections, have slammed the vote as unfair and undemocratic.
"We are determined not to allow this mess, sham, lies and manipulation to proliferate in a constitutional process that is very important to the people and the nation," said Wiranto, Hanura Party's chairman.
They are demanding a correction rectification of flaws in the voters' list, which is likely to be used again in July's presidential race.
"I don't think they want to push as far as to cancel the results of the elections. I don't think it is favourable to them also. It's going to be costly for everyone, and I don't think they are willing to take that cause. But I think they want to scrutinise as much as they can and create a perception that they do cheat, that they do not win cleanly," commented Sunny Tanuwidjaja, a political analyst with the Indonesia's Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called for an investigation into the matter, even as interim results show that his Democrat Party is set for a historic win the election.
Allegations of manipulations of voters' list are beginning to create a dent on President Yudhoyono's impending victory.
But observers said despite the disputes, results that have come in are reasonably logical to most Indonesians. So, the election commission will need to get its voters' list right for July's presidential race to prevent another round of contentions. - CNA /ls
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