Objections filed against two FijiFirst candidates

The National Federation Party confirmed that registered voters who are party members have filed objections against two candidates from FijiFirst.

The objections filed are against Attorney-General and Minister Responsible for Elections Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Acting Permanent Secretary for Justice Mere Vuniwaqa.

NFP General Secretary Kamal Iyer said Vuniwaqa was the Acting Permanent Secretary for Justice from January 2012 until her resignation in March 2013 and in that capacity she was responsible for elections and performed the functions of the Supervisor of Elections.

Iyer said this means Vuniwaqa is therefore barred from standing for elections for a period of four years from her last date of employment under Section 57(2) of the 2013 Constitution.

Section 57(2) of the 2013 Constitution states that a person who has held office as a member of the Electoral Commission or as the Supervisor of Elections is in-eligible to be nominated as a candidate for elections to parliament for four years after ceasing to hold that office.

According to Iyer for Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, his nomination is also in breach as he was exercising the role of the Electoral Commission until it was taken over by the Permanent Secretary responsible for elections in September 2013 following the promulgation of the Constitution under Section 170 (5).

Section 170 (5) of the constitution states that until such time the Electoral Commission or a Supervisor of Elections is appointed under the constitution, the functions of the Electoral Commission or the Supervisor of Elections shall be performed by the Permanent Secretary responsible for elections.

For section 23 (4) (e) of the Electoral Decree 2014 it states person is eligible to be nominated as a candidate for election to Parliament only if the person is not a member of the Electoral Commission, and has not been a member of that Commission at any time during the four years immediately before being nominated.

He said Sayed-Khaiyum should therefore be barred from standing for elections for a period of four years.

The Electoral Commission is expected to make its decision on the objections today.

The National Candidates List will be announced at 9am tomorrow.