22 Mar 2006

Fiji election supervisor not worried by Labour bid to stop poll

7:57 pm on 22 March 2006

Fiji's supervisor of elections says he is confident that the writ filed by the Labour Party will not be able to stop the general elections from going ahead in May as planned.

Semesa Karavaki has told Radio Legend that they have followed the elections process under the Electoral Act and the Labour Party has made a mistake on the time limitations stipulated after the publication of the electoral rolls.

Labour has asked the High Court to delay or postpone the general elections basing its claim on the grounds that mandatory timelines laid down in the electoral laws have not been followed.

But Mr Karavaki says there are no time limitations and the objection period ends on the day of polling.

He says the Labour Party is grossly mistaken in its views about the election process.

Labour claims that 42 days must be allowed for objections after the rolls are released and polling begins.