Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies (JSSHRS)

Strengthening the Capacity of the Village Consultative Body (Bamuskal) in Village Head Elections Amid Digital Transformation: A Good Governance and Public Accountability Perspective

Muhammad, Adji Suradji, Utami, Pipit, Suswaini, Eka

27 June 2026 · Vol. 2, Issue 6, pp. 884-892

DOI: 10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-27

Abstract

Village head elections play a central role in strengthening local democracy by ensuring that leadership succession processes are conducted in a participatory, transparent, and accountable manner. In the Special Region of Yogyakarta, the Village Consultative Body (Bamuskal) serves as a representative institution responsible for channeling community aspirations, overseeing local governance, and safeguarding the integrity of village head elections. Despite its strategic role, Bamuskal continues to face institutional challenges related to technical competence, regulatory understanding, oversight effectiveness, and adaptation to digital governance practices. This study examines Bamuskal’s capacity in village head elections and explores capacity-strengthening strategies from the perspectives of good governance and public accountability. A qualitative case study approach was employed in several kalurahan in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis and were analyzed using an interactive qualitative framework. The findings indicate that Bamuskal’s capacity remains uneven across regulatory, operational, and human resource dimensions, limiting its ability to consistently promote transparency, participation, and accountability throughout the election process. The study further shows that strengthening institutional capacity requires not only continuous technical training and regulatory support but also the development of digital literacy, participatory oversight mechanisms, and institutional independence. Strengthening these dimensions is essential for improving the quality of village head elections and for fostering more democratic and accountable local governance in the era of digital transformation.

Keywords: digital transformation, institutional capacity, local electoral governance, participatory oversight, rural governance

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Muhammad, Adji Suradji, Utami, Pipit, Suswaini, & Eka (2026). Strengthening the Capacity of the Village Consultative Body (Bamuskal) in Village Head Elections Amid Digital Transformation: A Good Governance and Public Accountability Perspective. Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies, 2(6), 884-892. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-27

@article{Muhammad2026,
  title   = {Strengthening the Capacity of the Village Consultative Body (Bamuskal) in Village Head Elections Amid Digital Transformation: A Good Governance and Public Accountability Perspective},
  author  = {Muhammad and Adji Suradji and Utami and Pipit and Suswaini and Eka},
  journal = {Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies},
  year    = {2026},
  volume  = {2},
  number  = {6},
  pages   = {884-892},
  doi     = {10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-27},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-27}
}

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