JAKARTA, The Kabar News—Indonesia’s Supreme Court has granted a cassation appeal challenging the high-school equivalency letter issued to Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, invalidating the administrative document but not automatically removing him from office.

The court handed down Decision No. 742 K/TUN/2026 on Friday, Oct. 30, in a lawsuit filed by lawyer Subhan Palal against the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry and its secretary-general.

“Cassation granted. The Judex Factie ruling is annulled. Adjudicating the case itself: the plaintiff’s lawsuit is granted in full,” the Supreme Court registry said in its published verdict summary.

The panel consisted of presiding judge Yulius, who heads the Supreme Court’s State Administrative Chamber, and judges Maftuh Effendi and Hari Sugiharto. Moreover, the Supreme Court registry information showed that the court received the case on Sept. 23 and registered it on Oct. 8.

The decision overturned Jakarta State Administrative Court Decision No. 62/G/2026/PTUN.JKT. The lower court had declared Subhan’s lawsuit inadmissible after finding that it lacked jurisdiction. This was because the dispute concerned an administrative requirement in the 2024 presidential election.

In Decision No. 130/B/2026/PT.TUN.JKT, the Jakarta State Administrative High Court subsequently upheld that ruling. Subhan then submitted his cassation appeal to the Supreme Court.

His lawsuit challenged Equivalency Letter No. 9149/D.D1/KS/2019 which was issued by the Directorate General of Primary and Secondary Education on Aug. 6, 2019. He asked the court to declare the letter invalid, order officials to withdraw and destroy it, and require the defendant to pay legal costs.

By granting the lawsuit in full, the Supreme Court accepted those requests, according to the published verdict. Moreover, several national media outlets reproduced the original petition.

However, the complete written judgment was still undergoing finalization when the result emerged. Its detailed legal reasoning therefore requires confirmation from the official copy.

Constitutional law professor Denny Indrayana welcomed the ruling and argued that it reinforced his position on Gibran’s educational eligibility.

“Gibran truly did not meet the educational requirement. After the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court affirmed that Gibran did not meet the requirement, Gibran has only one choice: RESIGN!” Denny wrote on social media.

That statement represents Denny’s legal and political interpretation. The Supreme Court’s ruling concerns the validity of an administrative document. It does not itself dismiss Gibran, annul the inauguration of the elected presidential ticket or order the vice president to resign.

Articles 7A and 7B of the 1945 Constitution establish a separate process for removing a sitting president or vice president. The House of Representatives must first formulate an opinion that the officeholder committed a qualifying violation or no longer meets the constitutional requirements. Then, it must ask the Constitutional Court to examine that opinion.

If the Constitutional Court upholds the House’s position, the House may forward a removal proposal to the People’s Consultative Assembly. The assembly makes the final decision under strict quorum and voting requirements.

The Supreme Court decision may influence future legal and political debate over Gibran’s eligibility. Nevertheless, the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran administration remains legally in office unless the constitutionally prescribed institutions complete a valid removal process.