The birth certificate requirement came about after the experiences of the 2018 elections and does not mean that the elections were not free and fair – Saneem

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem says the birth certificate requirement for voter registration came about after the experiences of the 2018 general elections, when people went to the polling stations and could not find their names because they did not know what was the name they registered with.

Saneem made these comments after being questioned by fijivillage if Saneem could confirm why there was no requirement to use your birth certificate name to register as a voter in the 2014 and 2018 elections.

In a press conference this afternoon, Saneem says their review process had identified this and it was also in the Electoral Commission joint report.

However Saneem says it does not mean that the 2014 and 2018 elections were not free and fair and it also does not mean there were discrepancies in the elections.

Saneem further says it simply means that an issue was identified and it is being resolved so that is no longer an issue in the following general elections.

He also says they could not remove anybody’s name from the National Register of Voters before because they did not have the power and they also did not overlook Niko Nawaikula’s name.

Saneem reiterates they welcome the announcement by the Attorney General in relation to the amendments to provisions governing the registration of voters in Fiji.

He says they have to wait for the draft amendments before they can make a comment.

Saneem further says registration is still ongoing and they respect the judgment of the Court and if anybody at this point in time comes and registers with a different name, they cannot stop them.

He adds they will keep those registrations aside and once the amendment is done, they can contact them and ask them to correct their name as per the birth certificate.

Saneem had highlighted that in 2020, they identified 76 individuals that attempted to register using alternate names.

Last year the Fijian Elections Office stated that it requires any application for new voter registration to be accompanied by the person’s birth certificate and another ID confirming the person.

Saneem had said the name of a person on the birth certificate (the Registered Name) is the only approved name that will be printed on the person’s Voter Card.

Saneem said this is in compliance with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1975.

He had highlighted that their experience in the 2014 and 2018 general elections as well as the day to day activities of their field teams had resulted in the finding that quite a lot of people who had adopted other names face difficulties when they use the Voter Card for their purposes as the names do not match the registered name.

This results in the person having to either apply for a Correction of Details or the person having to provide Statutory Declaration of the Alias through a Justice of Peace or Commissioner for Oaths.