SUVA (Pacnews) — Fiji’s next general elections could be held later than 2010 because the review of the constituency boundaries is likely to take longer than initially envisaged.
This possibility came to light when an expert indicated that the review of the boundaries would take about 18 months instead of six months, said interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
He said the review will take longer than anticipated because national census is taking place more than 10 years after the last one.
“People have been moving around a lot and therefore the population of some constituency boundaries have increased while some have decreased and these numbers don’t make for a constitutional election as it is not adhering to the requirement of the Constitution,” he said.
Quoting Section 52 (3) (a) and (b) of the 1997 Constitution, Sayed-Khaiyum said: “In determining the boundaries of the other constituencies, the Constituency Boundaries Commission (a) must try to ensure that the number of voters in each communal seat (other than a communal seat referred to in subsection (2)) is, as far as reasonably practicable, the same; (b) Must try to ensure that the number of votes in each open seat is, as far as reasonably practicable, the same.”