...that has been the case for awhile, according to the MOTD. It seemed to be a code change to avoid the Emperor from keeping a death grip on the leader position by keeping the sect leader spots vacant and still having all the PK viability that comes with those powers. I saw it as a smart move to deter abusing the hands off system of voting in a leader. The Emperor should always have to rule responsibly to keep his position, not just keep the council vacant to avoid being ousted.