New justice: Arief Hidayat (left) jokes with United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Dimyati Natakusuma (right) after “fit-and-proper” tests for Constitutional Court justices held at the House of Representatives on Monday. The law professor was named to the court to fill the vacancy to be left at the end of the term of Chief Justice Mahfud MD in April. JP/Wendra AjistyatamaConservative Diponegoro University law professor Arief Hidayat has been named to fill the impending vacancy on the Constitutional Court (MK) after the term of chief justice Mahfud MD expires in April.



In a vote held after the conclusion of “fit-and-proper” tests on Monday night, Arief received 42 out of 54 votes cast by lawmakers on House of Representatives’ Commission III overseeing legal affairs and human rights.



Arief beat out two other candidates under consideration, Djafar Albram, a lecture...