The late Assistant Minister for Agriculture Inosi Kuridrani’s seat in Parliament will remain vacant until the next General Election following his death on the 27th of this month.
While extending its condolences to Kuridrani’s family and loved ones during this grieving period, the Electoral Commission says under Section 64(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, it is ordinarily responsible for filling a vacant parliamentary seat held by a member of a political party by awarding the seat to the highest-ranked available candidate from the same political party at the most recent General Election.
However, the Commission says Section 64(3) of the Constitution expressly provides that where a seat becomes vacant more than three years and six months after the first meeting of Parliament following the most recent General Election, the seat shall remain vacant until the next General Election.
It says the constitutional period specified under Section 64(3) elapsed on 24th June 2026.
The Commission says it will therefore not undertake any process to fill the vacant seat, and it is issuing this statement to ensure that the constitutional process relating to vacancies in the membership of Parliament is clearly understood.
