Watch closely Constitutional Court on 18 Mar 2026 has a crucial agenda to decide whether to accept a petition after the Ombudsman resolved to refer the case concerning barcodes and QR codes on the 2026 election ballots to the Constitutional Court.
On 17 March 2026, following citizens' submissions through the Ombudsman’s Office, concerns were raised that the printing of barcodes and QR codes on election ballots used in the 2026 House of Representatives election might allow tracing or linking back to the voters, potentially violating the constitutional principle of secret ballots.
Reports indicate that the Constitutional Court justices' meeting on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, is closely watched by many parties as it will decide whether to accept the petition regarding the 2026 general election for consideration.
Further reports stated that on 10 March, the Ombudsman reviewed 21 petitions and concluded that this issue is substantial enough to forward to the Constitutional Court for a ruling under the constitution. They noted concerns that the ballot code system might violate the constitutional principles of direct and secret elections. Meanwhile, the Election Commission clarified that the barcodes and QR codes on ballots serve only to prevent forgery and verify the printing process, emphasizing that they cannot identify voters.
Nonetheless, attention remains on whether the Constitutional Court will accept the petition on barcodes and QR codes on election ballots for consideration on 18 March.