There were no contributions from Members of Parliament during the debate on the Electoral Amendment No. 2 Bill, the Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment No. 2 Bill, and the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosure Amendment No. 2 Bill which was passed in Parliament.
The Bills were put forward in Parliament by Minister for Justice, Filimoni Vosarogo, under Standing Order 51.
Speaking on the Electoral Amendment No. 2 Bill, Vosarogo says the Bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act of 2014, clarify and strengthen certain aspects of Fiji's electoral framework, improve the administration of elections, and ensure greater consistency across the electoral legislation.
He says the proposed amendment provides greater clarity on the meaning and effect of an announcement of an election date, particularly in circumstances where an election is postponed or cancelled.
Vosarogo says the Bill also clarifies the application of the term "certified list" to include voter lists, the register of postal voters, and other registers used to identify voters' eligibility to vote through special voting arrangements.
He adds that the Bill further introduces a provision allowing the Electoral Commission, with its approval, to authorise the counting of ballot papers at one or more designated counting centres rather than at individual polling stations.
The Minister says this will provide greater flexibility in the administration of the counting process and align the Electoral Act with the National Referendum Act of 2026.
He says the Bill also clarifies the restrictions relating to foreign assistance during the campaign period, including assistance received from foreign persons or organisations.
He says it further provides certainty regarding the finality of decisions made by the Electoral Commission under Section 115(2)(b) and reclassifies the relevant offences as illegal electoral practices.
Vosarogo says these amendments are intended to improve legal clarity, strengthen electoral administration, and promote consistency in the application of Fiji's electoral laws.
He adds that through these amendments, they continue to strengthen the legal and institutional framework governing elections in Fiji and support the effective, transparent, and orderly conduct of democratic processes.
On the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosure Amendment No. 2 Bill, the Minister says the Bill seeks to amend the Act to further strengthen the classification of electoral offences and address provisions that were not covered under previous amendments to the Act.
He says the proposed amendments categorise specific offences under the Act as either corrupt electoral practices or illegal electoral practices, ensuring greater consistency in the classification of electoral offences across Fiji's electoral legislation.
Vosarogo says the Bill also amends the financial disclosure timeframe for candidates from 60 days to 30 days, bringing it in line with other reporting requirements under the Act.
He also says these amendments are intended to strengthen accountability, improve compliance with financial disclosure requirements, and promote consistency in the regulation of political parties.
The Minister adds that these reforms will contribute to a more transparent and accountable political party system and further strengthen public confidence in Fiji's democratic institutions.
On the Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment No. 2 Bill, Vosarogo says the Bill has three main amendment provisions, with two focusing on ensuring consistency with the voter qualifications set out in Section 55 of the Constitution.
He says the other amendment looks at categorising an offence as a corrupt electoral practice, which is in line with the classification of offences carried out in the two other laws he referred to earlier.
