Every citizen has the right to free, fair and regular elections for any elective institution or office established under this Constitution.
Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem highlighted this as he quoted Section 23 (2) of the Constitution in regards to reports that employers are forcing employees to report to work at 9am or face the axe.
Saneem says if any employee has been directed by their employer to come to work at 9am, and not go and vote, then they report it to the Fijian Elections Office, and they will report the matter to the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission.
He says if necessary, the FEO itself will petition the High Court against that employer because they want all employees to be able to go and vote today.
The SOE says this means that neither Parliament nor an employer has the authority to stop a person from voting.
They must allow their employees to vote.
Saneem says the Fijian Elections Office has been advocating for employers to allow employees to vote and then report to work.
He says they have been previously asking that employers allow employees at least half the day that is the morning session for them to go and vote.
The SOE says he knows that the employers will always go back and say that it is a public holiday, which does not stop them from opening their businesses, but, it is the election.
He says it is the constitutional right of every voter to go and vote.
Saneem says employers must immediately rectify all their plans and allow voters to go and vote.
He says they are urging all employers to once again remember Section 23 of the Constitution and he sincerely urges them to release people to go and vote.
Saneem says for those who want to know about the free public transportation, SMS their Voter Card number to 1500, and it will message them back with their Polling Venue details, as well as the details of the person who is organizing free public transport in their area.
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