Public consultation on proposed changes to three of Fiji’s electoral laws that were scheduled to begin today has been pushed back a week.
Consultations on 56 proposed changes – 11 clauses in the Electoral (Registration of Voters) Act 2012, 31 clauses in the Electoral Act 2014 and 14 clauses in the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013 – were scheduled from 3 March to 9 March in eight communities along the Queen’s Road – Kings Road highways between Namosi and Wainibuka, in the second round of public discussions on the suggested amendments.
Fiji Parliament Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights did not give any reason for rescheduling public discussions to 10-16 March, opting to accommodate political parties’ submissions, beginning today on Bills 50-52 of 2020 which outline these changes.
The committee held the first round of public consultations between 11 and 18 January this year. It has also received submissions from the Electoral Commission and the Supervisor of Election, both of which expressed their support for the proposed changes.
