Amendment to Political Parties Bill could allow appeals against the Registrar’s decisions to be dealt with by the Electoral Commission instead of the High Court

The amendment to the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) (Amendment) Bill 2020 could allow appeals against the decisions of the Registrar of Political Parties to be dealt with by the Electoral Commission instead of the High Court.

While making submissions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights on the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the Fijian Elections Office says this would expedite the process and it also creates consistency in the determination of decisions of the Supervisor of Elections across all the electoral laws.

The FEO has also highlighted that the bill allows political parties to request the Electoral Commission to mediate or arbitrate where there are disputes on any campaign issues between political parties.

The Office has also highlighted that political parties will now be required to submit to the Registrar their sources of funds within 90 days of the end of their financial year and political parties will be required to publish this information themselves in any national newspaper during this time period as well.

They say amendments would also allow the Registrar to assess the election spending and monitor the donations, income and expenditure of nominated candidates as nominated candidates will now be required to provide to the Registrar within 30 days of polling and within 30 days of the return of the Writ of Elections their sources of donation, assets, income and expenditure.

The Elections Office has also highlighted that amendments would also require political parties to submit to the Registrar within 30 days after polling day, a written declaration giving details of all assets and liabilities as at polling day and income and expenditure, including all contributions, donations or pledges of contributions or donations, whether in cash or in kind, made or to be made from the date the writ is issued to polling day.

They say the amendment would now include the source of funds for political parties income derived from any building owned by a political party and the source of funds for the independent candidate must only be from voluntary contributions, donations, bequest and grants from a lawful source, not being from a foreign government, intergovernmental or non-governmental organization.

The Office has also highlighted that amendment also clarifies that no proposed political party will be registered from the time the Writ of Elections is issued to the time it is returned.