Indonesia's Constitutional Court Targets July Decision on Free Meal Program Lawsuit

Indonesia's Constitutional Court (MK) is targeting a July 2026 decision on a lawsuit challenging the inclusion of the 'Free Nutritious Meal Program' (MBG) in education funding. To expedite the process, the MK has asked the government and the House of Representatives (DPR RI) to limit the number of expert witnesses for the next hearing scheduled for June 23, 2026.

The request came from MK Chairman Suhartoyo during a hearing for judicial reviews of Law Number 17 of 2025 concerning the 2026 State Budget. The government had initially proposed presenting more than three expert witnesses per case, but Suhartoyo intervened, citing time constraints. He insisted that the number of experts from the government should match that of the DPR RI, with each side presenting three experts for the three related cases.

Suhartoyo emphasized the court's commitment to resolving the petitions by the end of June. "The MK will resolve these petitions no later than the end of this month, so that next month the cases can be decided," he stated, aiming to ensure the issues remain relevant. Despite a brief attempt by the government's legal counsel to negotiate for four experts, Suhartoyo maintained the limit of three. The hearing is scheduled to resume on June 23, 2026, at 8:30 AM WIB and is expected to last through the day.