The Constitutional Court is closely watched on 18 March for a crucial agenda to decide whether to accept a petition, following the Ombudsman's resolution to refer the case concerning barcodes and QR codes on the 2026 election ballots to the court for adjudication.
On 17 March 2026, a case arose from citizens submitting complaints through the Ombudsman's office, raising concerns about the printing of barcodes and QR codes on election ballots used in the 2026 House of Representatives election, which might allow tracing or linking back to individual voters, potentially undermining the constitutional principle of secret ballots.
Reports indicate that during the Constitutional Court judges' meeting on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, many parties are closely monitoring the key agenda of whether to accept the petition related to the 2026 general election for consideration.
Further reports from journalists state that on 10 March, the Ombudsman reviewed 21 petitions and found this issue sufficiently substantial to refer to the Constitutional Court under the constitution. Concerns were raised that the ballot code system might violate the constitutional principle of direct and secret voting. The Election Commission clarified that the barcodes and QR codes on ballots are intended only to prevent forgery and to verify printing processes, emphasizing that they cannot identify individual voters.
However, it remains to be seen whether the Constitutional Court will accept the petition concerning barcodes and QR codes on election ballots for consideration on 18 March.