Saneem raises serious concerns about misleading information spread by six political parties

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem says the Fijian Elections Office and the Electoral Commission is seriously concerned about the misleading information spread by six political parties about the elections process.

SODELPA Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad, Unity Fiji Leader, Savenaca Narube, Freedom Alliance Party General Secretary, Kurusiga Qerewaqa and PDP General Secretary, Pearl Antonio have released a joint communique, saying that they do not have any confidence in the Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem and the Chairman of the Commission, Suresh Chandra.

The six parties are saying that they want a number of issues addressed to have free and fair elections however they are saying that this is not being done.

While speaking to Fijivillage, Saneem says the Fijian Elections Office is following the laws of the land and the six parties do not seem to understand how the laws should be amended if they want any changes.

Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry

Saneem says any changes to any law can only be done through the parliamentary process and no one else can just come and amend things.

The parties are also claiming that the Electoral Commission is refusing to confirm party polling agents will be shown ballot papers by Presiding Officers and Polling Day Officials during the counting of ballot papers.

Saneem says party agents will definitely be allowed and as has been the practice in the past, they will be allowed to stand next to the table where the count takes place. 

Saneem is also seriously concerned about the misleading comments made by Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry that the election was rigged.

The Supervisor of Elections says Chaudhry is misleading people by saying that FLP’s Lavinia Padarath voted for herself in the 2014 general elections at the Saint Joseph’s Secondary School polling venue but her 1 vote was not shown in the results.

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Saneem says Chaudhry’s claim is totally false.

The Fijian Elections Office also had a press conference yesterday to address other matters raised by the six political parties.