Declaration of Results

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission

Mr Mukesh Nand

Declaration of Results

19/12/22 at 1.00pm 

 

Fellow members of the Electoral Commission, 

The Supervisor of Elections,

Invited Guests,

Members of the media,

Ladies and gentlemen.

Bula Vinaka and a very warm welcome to you all.

We have received the results from the Supervisor of Elections. We congratulate him and his team for another successful election. 

In accordance with the law, the Electoral Commission[‘EC’] then proceeded to determine the seats that are to be allocated.

Sections 103 to 109 of the Electoral Act, 2014 are the relevant provisions for this process. The total number of votes cast in the 2022 General Election were 473,910 and as such, the threshold is calculated to be 23,696.

Based on the results of the 2022 General Election, the following Political Parties and Independent Candidates met the threshold:

Party Votes
FijiFirst 200,246
The People’s Alliance 168,581
National Federation Party 41,830
SODELPA 24,172

In applying the D’hondt formula to determine the number of seats each Party attained, the Electoral Commission arrived at the following result: 

Party Total Seats 
FijiFirst 26
The People’s Alliance 21
National Federation Party 5
SODELPA 3

According to the Electoral Act, 2014 the candidates within the Parties that have won the highest votes will be entitled to allocation of seats before those with lower votes. I will now announce the names of the candidates that have been allocated seats for the next Parliament: (*read from table)

Name of Political Party Seat Number Candidate Name
FijiFirst 1 Bainimarama, Josaia Voreqe
The People’s Alliance 2 Rabuka, Sitiveni Ligamamada
FijiFiji  3 Sayed-Khaiyum, Aiyaz
The People’s Alliance 4 Tabuya, Lynda Diseru
FijiFirst 5 Bala, Parveen Kumar
The People’s Alliance 6 Singh, Charan Jeath
FijiFirst 7 Reddy, Mahendra
The People’s Alliance 8 Vosarogo, Filimoni Wainiqolo Rasokisoki
National Federation Party 9 Prasad, Biman Chand
FijiFirst 10 Chand, Hem
The People’s Alliance 11 Kamikamica, Manoa Seru Nakausabaria
FijiFirst 12 Niudamu, Ratu Josaia Bulavakarua
FijiFirst 13 Sharma, Rinesh Rajesh
The People’s Alliance 14 Tuiwailevu, Isikeli
FijiFirst 15 Maharaj, Alvick Avhikrit
Social Democratic Liberal Party 16 Gavoka, Viliame Rogoibulu
The People’s Alliance 17 Vanawalu, Iliesa Sovui
FijiFirst 18 Akbar, Rosy Sofia
The People’s Alliance 19 Turaga, Siromi Dokonivalu
National Federation Party 20 Qereqeretabua, Lenora Salusalu
FijiFirst 21 Nath, Vijay
The People’s Alliance 22 Lalabalavu, Ratu Atonio Rabici
FijiFirst 23 Naivalurua, Ioane
The People’s Alliance 24 Saukuru, Jese
FijiFirst 25 Seruiratu, Inia Batikoto
FijiFirst 26 Kumar, Shalen
The People’s Alliance 27 Vakalalabure, RT Rakuita Solesole Sauramaeva
FijiFirst 28 Koya, Faiyaz Siddiq
The People’s Alliance 29 Nalumisa, Maciu Katamotu
National Federation Party 30 Singh, Agni Deo
FijiFirst 31 Kumar, Premila Devi
The People’s Alliance 32 Vocea, Jovesa Rokuta
FijiFirst 33 Usamate, Jone
Social Democratic Liberal Party 34 Vasu, Ifereimi
The People’s Alliance 35 Tubuna, Sakiusa
FijiFirst 36 Pillay, Viam
The People’s Alliance 37 Rayalu, Vatimi Tidara Tuinasakea Kaunitawake
FijiFirst 38 Kirpal, Sanjay Salend
FijiFirst 39 Nand, Joseph Nitya
The People’s Alliance 40 Tuisawau, Ro Filipe Qaraniqio
National Federation Party 41 Tikoduadua, Pio
FijiFirst 42 Koroilavesau, Semi Tuleca
The People’s Alliance 43 Tunabuna, Tomasi Niuvotu
FijiFirst 44 Waqainabete, Ifereimi
The People’s Alliance 45 Ditoka, Sakiasi Raisevu
FijiFirst 46 Naupoto, Viliame
The People’s Alliance 47 Immanuel, Esrom Yosef
FijiFirst 48 Bia, Aliki
The People’s Alliance 49 Ravu, Kalaveti Vodo
National Federation Party 50 Kiran, Sashi
FijiFirst 51 Tuinaceva, Naisa Tatau
Social Democratic Liberal Party 52 Radrodro, Aseri Masivou
The People’s Alliance Party 53 Bainivalu, Alitia Vakatai Bavou Cirikiyasawa
FijiFirst 54 Bulitavu, Mosese Drecala
FijiFirst 55 Lal, Ketan Kirit

Ladies and gentlemen, the Commission’s next duty is to Return the Writ of Elections to His Excellency the President as stipulated under Section 106 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2014.

On behalf of the Electoral Commission, the Fijian Elections Office and the entire country, I offer congratulations to the candidates that have been elected into Parliament and wish them the best of luck.

Thank you very much and Vinaka Vakalevu.  

After Receiving Results from the Supervisor of Elections

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission

Mr Mukesh Nand

After Receiving Results from the Supervisor of Elections

18/12/22 @4PM

 

Fellow Electoral Commission members,

The Supervisor of Elections,

Members of the Media,

Invited guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Bula vinaka and a very warm welcome to you all today.

The 2022 General Election took place on the 14th of December in a peaceful and conducive environment. 

My fellow Commission members and I observed voting at several polling places and were pleased with the smooth flow of operations on Election Day. Since then we have been present at the National Results Centre observing the results tabulation process.

Ladies and gentleman, I stand here today on behalf of my Commission receiving the Final National Results Tally for the 2022 General Election.

I would like to thank you, Supervisor of Elections and your team at the Fijian Elections Office for a job well done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after receiving the results of the 2022 General Election, the Electoral Commission will now retire and calculate the seat allocation for the 55 seats of the next parliament.

We intend to announce the Final list of candidates that will enter parliament at 1pm tomorrow followed by our appointment with H.E the President at 2pm when we intend to return the writ for the 2022 General Election.

Thank you and vinaka vakalevu.

Manual Counting

The Electoral Commission [“Commission”] has been receiving complaints from a number of individuals demanding for manual counting of the votes for the 2022 General Election. 

The Commission has taken note of the contents of the complaints and hereby ensures all registered voters that the counting of votes is being done manually. This was also addressed by the Supervisor of Elections recently in his statement to the media that counting of ballot papers is done manually.

The Commission further notes that these are complaints and comments made in regards to the anomaly in the FEO Results App. The Commission hereby confirms that the FEO Results App is not used to count votes but is used to upload the data after the protocol of results is entered in the Result Management Information System (RMIS).

The anomaly in the FEO Results App has been rectified and the Final Result are now being published with the correct data.

-Ends-

Election Day Announcement

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission

Mr Mukesh Nand

Election Day Announcement

Media Centre- FMF Gymnasium

14 DEC 22 @4PM

Bula Vinaka Ladies and gentlemen.

It is now 4pm on Election Day with only two (2) more hours left to go until the close of Polling for the 2022 General Election.

The Electoral Commission has been out visiting various venues from the morning and it is indeed a proud moment to have my fellow Fijians come out and exercise their Right to Vote. 

The indelible ink on your finger is a show of patriotism, it represents your civic duty towards your country.

Ladies and gentlemen, every four years we come together as a nation to make history. Others before you have paved the way for a democratic Fiji and now it is your turn to show up for your nation and lead the way for those who will come after you.

Ladies and gentleman, as the Commission overseeing the conduct of general elections in Fiji, we have worked with the Fijian Elections Office to ensure that the 2022 General Election becomes a platform for all Fijians to vote with confidence, security and freedom.

We keep to our promise and as at 4pm today, our Polling Stations continue to facilitate voting, our staff are ready to serve you, all election materials are there. This opportunity comes once every 4 years ladies and gentleman, so if you are still at home or elsewhere and you have not voted, you have 2 more hours to make your way to your Polling Station.

If you are not sure about where to vote, text your VoterCard number to 1500. 

If you do not have a VoterCard, bring any valid Photo ID.

If you have friends and family who have not voted, bring them along too. Encourage others to vote.

I have been informed that voter turnout has not been up to par but ladies and gentleman, there is still time for you to be able to vote.

Remember Polling Stations will close at 6pm or after the last voter in the queue at 6pm has voted.

I on behalf of the Electoral Commission members and the hardworking team of the Fijian Elections Office who are out on the field, urge each and every one of you who is yet to vote to come and cast you ballot.

Thank you, Vinaka Vakalevu

2022 Election Night Dinner – EVP

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission 

Mr Mukesh Nand 

2022 Election Night Dinner – EVP

Suva – 14.12.22

 

Your Excellency the High Commissioner of Great Britain to Fiji Dr. Brian Jones 

Senior Officials of the Fijian Elections Office

EVP Participants and supporters

Bula Vinaka and a very Good Evening to you all. 

We have just concluded the polling process for our third General Election under the guidance of the Electoral Act of 2014. 

The Fijian Elections Office is currently busy compiling the results for the General Election as well as carrying out the counting for the Pre-Poll activities.

We are confident that all these activities will be concluded with the same level of efficiency and efficacy that the Fijian Elections Office has shown so far. 

I’d like to acknowledge and thank the Supervisor of Elections, Mr Mohammed Saneem, as well as the Deputy Supervisor of Elections, Mr. Robin Boyd, for their hard work and effort in ensuring that the Fijian Elections for 2022 is fair and credible.

I would also like to thank our partners UNDP and the High Commission of the United Kingdom for making this exciting program possible. 

I would also like to welcome you all to stay longer if you can to see the outcomes and I thank you all for accepting our invitation. Special thanks to our regional and international partners in the Election Management Bodies for taking up our invitation.

As I said when I initially addressed you, our intention was not to show off any of our processes but to really put it up on display for your constructive criticism or for your positive views on it.

The only intention here is that the evolution of election practices in Fiji must NOT stop at every election but rather become much more revolutionized following the election.  

And get a new boost of energy so that the Fijian Elections historically becomes one of the most transparent and fair processes. 

We hope that when Fijians choose their leaders, the election process gives them that boost, that confidence, that ownership that the process, in which they used to select the leaders, was transparent because it was accessible and it was fair.

That is all we hope.

Anyway, I’m taking too much of your time and I wish you all a good evening, do continue to follow the results on the Results App from the convenience of your respective hand held devices and all the best and safe journey on your return from Suva.

Thank you and vinaka vakalevu.  

Election Day Reminder

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission 

Mr Mukesh Nand

Election Day Reminder

Suva – 13.12.22

Bula Vinaka Fijians!

The 2022 General Election will be taking place tomorrow at all Polling Stations and it will start at 7.30am and will continue right up until the last voter has voted at 6.00pm.

The Electoral Commission and the Fijian Elections Office have ensured that all polling operations happen according to plan and I would like to advise you that we are ready to receive your votes.

I am informed by the Supervisor of Elections that teams have been successfully reaching polling venues and the deployment of election materials has been happening throughout the last two days. 

I am further informed that by tomorrow morning all polling operations should be normal and ready to receive votes from all Fijians.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the findings of the Multinational Observer Group in its preliminary statement and I would like to assure every Fijian that we will continue to provide electoral services with the highest level of integrity, commitment and diligence.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to vote!

Tomorrow at 7.30am right up until the last voter has voted at 6.00pm every Fijian will have the opportunity to demonstrate their civic duty and the authority they have under the Constitution of Fiji to choose their representatives for the next four years.

On this note, on behalf of the Electoral Commission, the Supervisor of Elections and the Fijian Elections Office, I would like to invite every Fijian to come forward and vote.

It is this time that you need to exercise your authority under the Constitution and I urge every Fijian to exercise your democratic right.

With this words, the Electoral Commission wishes you the very best in your endeavors and we look forward to as many people turning out as possible tomorrow to cast their vote.

No one should be left behind!

Vinaka. 

2022 EVP Welcome Dinner

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission 

Mr Mukesh Nand

2022 EVP Welcome Dinner

Suva – 12.12.22

 

Supervisor of Elections

Staff of FEO 

Bula Vinaka and a very warm welcome to you all. 

It is my pleasure and honour to welcome you all here today on behalf of the people of Fiji, the Electoral Commission and the Fijian Elections Office. A special welcome to all the dignitaries from the Pacific region who are participating in this program.

Ladies and gentlemen, at the outset I would like to say that our Election Visitor Program is an effort of the Electoral Commission and the Fijian Elections Office to share our elections experience with our friends and families from the pacific as well as the citizens of Fiji. 

We want to be able to demonstrate to you the activities that we do under our elections and thereafter seek your views on the comparative learnings we can do from this. 

In no way, our intention to put our elections forward as a model or a standard. However, we simply want to share our experience with our friends so that we can all work together to continue to nurture the democratic elections that we all have in our countries.

I would like to welcome all of you who have come from afar, and especially welcome the citizens of Fiji who are also participants in this program through the expression of interest exercise. We thank you for your interest in your election and we look forward to you having a productive time whilst in this program. For some of you, this maybe the very first time you actually see how the operations in an election happen and I wish you all the best in your learnings.

I would like to acknowledge the organizers of the event, Eric and his team with the humble support of the New Zealand Electoral Commission and the Australian Electoral Commission in putting together this program and I would like to thank the British Government and the United Nation Development Program for financially supporting this program and the activities. 

On this note, I would like to acknowledge the initiative taken by the Fijian Elections Office to conduct the Election Visitor Program and I wish you all the very best.

Thank you very much for coming to Fiji and I wish you a safe stay and an enjoyable one

Vinaka.

 

Launch of Pre-Poll

by Ashwini Kartika

Statement by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission

Mr Mukesh Nand

Launch of Pre-Poll

Nasele Community Hall, Naitasiri

05/12/22 @8:00am

Fellow Electoral Commissioners

Members of the Observer Group,

Members of the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Bula Vinaka and a very warm welcome to you all this morning.

As per the electoral calendar, we are on WD+35 and today marks the commencement of Pre-Polling for the 2022 General Election.

Voters who are living in remote places, members of the Disciplined Forces, Residents of Nursing Homes or Health Care Facilities and those under pre-trial detention or sentence of imprisonment, will be exercising their Right to Vote.

Pre-Poll will take place from today right up until 9th December 2022.

Ladies and gentlemen, voters who are voting under Pre-Poll are required to vote only in the Pre-Poll areas which they are assigned to.

Pre-Poll Voting will be conducted at 613 venues for 77,907 registered voters with 109 venues in the Central Division, 175 venues in the Western Division, 140 venues in the North and 189 venues in the Eastern Division.

The ballots that will be cast here will be transported to a central location for counting on Election Night.

The full Pre-Poll Schedule containing details of the venues, dates and times when the FEO teams will be at those venues to conduct Pre-Polling has already been published and is available on the Electoral Commission website on 

www.electoralcommission.org.fj/

Ladies and gentleman, today marks the commencement of polling for the 2022 General Election and I urge all voters to take pride and exercise their right to vote.

Thank you and vinaka vakalevu. 

Electoral Commission finalizes appeals and objections: 343 Candidates in the 2022 General Election

The Electoral Commission [‘EC’] received a total of 10 appeals and two (2) objections to nominations  approved by the Supervisor of Elections [‘SoE’] for the 2022 General Election.  

The EC notes that for the purposes of an objection to a nomination, a person is required to comply  with Section 30 of the Electoral Act 2014 which states:  

30(1) A person who is a registered voter may object to the nomination of any candidate on the  ground that the nomination of the candidate as an independent candidate or as a party candidate  on a party list does not comply with the requirements of the Constitution or this Act. 

The EC notes that according to the requirements of Section 30 in evaluating any objection to a  nomination, the EC will re-evaluate the findings of the SoE in particular to ensure that the  requirements set by Section 23 of the Electoral Act 2014 are met.  

The EC received two (2) objections from a voter against 2 candidates. In evaluating the objection, the  EC found that the voter did not submit any grounds as required under section 30 and his objections  were prima facie based on matters that do not fall within the ambit of section 23 of the Act. The EC  proceeded to dismiss the objections. 

In terms of the appeals, the EC received 10 appeals from nominees who had been rejected by the SoE  as well as some from persons who had been withdrawn by parties and also a case of 4 persons who were not even nominated.  

There were two (2) candidates from Social Democratic Liberal Party who appealed, however their  nominations had been duly withdrawn by SODELPA and they had already been replaced by their  party. The EC proceeded to dismiss both these appeals on the same grounds. One candidate, name  Seremaia Tui had appealed the rejection of his nomination which was also dismissed by the EC as it 

was found that he had a previous criminal conviction. The EC found that Seremaia Tui’s nomination  did not meet the requirements of section 23(4)(g). 

There were four (4) candidates from Unity Fiji who had appealed but their nominations were  withdrawn by the Party and not filed at all. Hence, it did not meet the legal basis of an appeal. There  was one (1) candidate from Unity Fiji whose nomination had been processed based on police records and he had been found to have a previous criminal conviction. However, the candidate furnished the  EC with his court judgment in which it was found that there was no conviction to be entered. The EC  upheld his appeal and has thereafter directed the SoE the add him to the final list of candidates. There  was also another candidate, Mr. Ifereimi Buaserau who appealed the decision to the EC but was  dismissed given that there was sufficient evidence to prove that he had a previous conviction. 

Amjad Ali from People’s Alliance filed an appeal but this was dismissed as the party had already  replaced him in its list of candidates.  

For the 2022 General Election, the EC had revised the procedure for dealing with appeals and  objections to ensure that the appeals and objections are dealt with thoroughly and swiftly and in this  regard the EC received very quick responses from the SoE in particular for all the appeals and was  able to make decisions effectively.  

In terms of the objections, the EC found no legal basis in the objections and proceeded to dismiss  them and at the end of the entire process the EC finds that Mohammed Riyaz Khan needs to be added  to the list of approved candidates and all the other appeals and objections have been dismissed by  the EC.  

Following this exercise, the EC has also approved for the SoE to conduct the Ball Draw for the National  Candidates’ List at 10am tomorrow. 

Close of Appeals and Objections

Bula Vinaka Ladies and Gentlemen and a good afternoon to you, 

It is 4o’clock and the Appeals and Objections on nominations approved by the Supervisor of Elections for the 2022 General Election are now closed. 

By our records, we have received _____10___ appeals and ___2_____ objections. 

Vinaka Vakalevu.