Israel's Supreme Court Fines Knesset Speaker Ohana, Criticizes Delay in State Comptroller Election

Israel's Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a petition demanding that Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana set a date for a second round of voting to elect a State Comptroller. However, the court ordered Ohana to pay 10,000 shekels in legal expenses, citing his conduct.

The court's decision came as Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yesh Atid party, announced his intention to set a new date for the election. The justices explained that the first round of voting, which was invalidated, was conducted by the previous Knesset. The current Knesset, the 26th, is operating under continuity rules following the recent elections, and the Speaker's actions are preventing a new round. This situation creates a difficulty in enforcing a previous ruling that mandated another round of voting.

Justice Ruth Ronen elaborated that the election of the 26th Knesset, with its different composition, significantly altered the circumstances since the petition was filed. She noted that the new Knesset would also elect its own Speaker, who might not be the same as the previous one. Ronen stated that continuing the election process from where it left off in the previous Knesset is problematic due to the lack of continuity and the presence of new members.

Despite dismissing the petition, Ronen emphasized that the ruling did not condone Ohana's behavior, which she described as "serious." She condemned the severe damage to the public interest and the rule of law caused by this conduct, particularly by a government official. This, she added, also harms the standing of the Knesset and the court, the candidates from the first round, and the public due to the ongoing vacancy in the crucial role of State Comptroller.

The article notes that two candidates from the first round, retired Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron and attorney Michael Ravilo, are expected to compete in a future round. Ravilo had received the most votes in the initial vote, which was held on June 3rd. The Knesset's Legal Advisor, Shagit Afik, had supported the petition's principle, highlighting potential implementation difficulties. The Supreme Court had previously invalidated the June 3rd vote because lawmakers had documented themselves behind the curtain, violating the secrecy required by the State Comptroller Law. Ohana has not yet announced plans for a new vote, and with the Knesset set to disperse next week, it is unlikely to occur before the upcoming elections and subsequent coalition formation, potentially delaying the appointment for months.