７月の参院選は「違憲状態」　選挙制度見直し言及―１票の格差訴訟・大阪高裁

　「１票の格差」が最大３．０３倍だった７月の参院選は投票価値の平等に反し違憲だとして、弁護士らが選挙無効を求めた訴訟の判決が１４日、大阪高裁であった。牧賢二裁判長は「著しい不平等状態にあった」と述べ、「違憲状態」と判断。選挙制度の見直しにも言及した。無効請求は退けた。
　二つの弁護士グループが全国１４の高裁・支部に起こした計１６件の訴訟で初めての判決。各地の判決は１１月中旬に出そろう見通しで、上告されれば最高裁が統一判断を示す。
　牧裁判長は、２０１５年の公選法改正により、１票の格差が５倍前後から３．０８倍まで縮小した後、是正されていないことについて、「約３倍という最大格差が約７年間継続していることを十分正当化し得る事情がない」と指摘。その上で、「是正のために選挙制度の仕組み自体の見直しが必要」と述べた。（2022/10/14-17:03）

Osaka High Court on Friday ruled that the July election of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan's parliament, was held in a state of unconstitutionality in terms of vote-value disparity.
   But the court rejected the demand of plaintiffs that the result of the election, in which the maximum vote-value gap stood at 3.03 times, be nullified.
   The ruling was the first for a total of 16 lawsuits filed over the election's vote-value gap by two groups of lawyers with 14 high courts and high court branches in Japan.
   The other high courts and branches are expected to give their respective rulings by mid-November. If an appeal is filed, the Supreme Court will make a unified ruling.
   Presiding Judge Kenji Maki said the election was "in a state of substantial inequality" and that there were no circumstances that could sufficiently justify a situation in which the maximum gap of around three times continued for about seven years.