The Fiji Elections Office has confirmed that a total of 346 candidates have filed their nominations to contest next month's general elections.
Radio Legend reports that this is 5 short of the 351 in the post-coup 2001 general elections.
Of the 22 registered political parties, only 13 are fielding candidates in the election which will take place from May the 6th to the 13th.
A total of 66 independent candidates, the highest number in any Fiji general election, will be contesting.
The supervisor of elections, Semesa Karavaki, is quoted as saying they will now have to review the status of parties which are not fielding candidates to see if they should be de-registered.
