High Court delays comptroller vote, asks if process restarts

High Court Justice Ruth Ronen has ordered the Knesset to examine whether the state comptroller can still be chosen in the current Knesset, in the latest turn in the drawn-out saga.

"The parties are requested to address by 15 October 2026 the legal question... regarding the various options for conducting the election process in a new Knesset, if it is not completed in the current Knesset (namely: holding the second round of voting; holding the vote from the beginning; conducting the process from the beginning)," Ronen wrote.

She added that "the Attorney General will consider her appearance in this proceeding."

The comptroller election is conducted by secret ballot and requires a majority of 61 MKs for one of the candidates. In the Knesset vote, Yosef Elron defeated Michael Rabello in the first round but did not reach the 61-vote threshold.

In the second round, Rabello won, but several coalition members filmed themselves on video while voting. The High Court (Bagatz) annulled the election and ordered a repeat vote in the second round.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana refused to accept the court's directive and did not hold new elections. The Knesset has since dissolved, and it appears the vote will not take place in the current Knesset.

A legal question now arises: will the next Knesset restart the entire process from the beginning, including the submission of names, or will the election be held between Rabello and Elron, either from the first round or according to the rules of the second round.