17 Feb 2014

Demands to remove thousands from New Caledonia electoral roll

7:41 am on 17 February 2014

The president of New Caleodia's Congress has demanded that more than 6,700 voters be removed from the electoral roll for this May's provincial elections.

Roch Wamytan says it is a serious political problem, adding it is not normal to have so many anomalies 15 years after the signing of the Noumea Accord.

To vote in the May election, voters have to have been enrolled since before 1998.

Mr Wamytan, who is a member of the pro-independence movement, says there has been cheating as almost 2,000 young Kanaks are not on the roll.

He says he has been to the UN to raise his concerns and a delegation will arrive in New Caledonia to examine the issue.

The provincial assemblies will determine the make-up of the next Congress which can organise an independence referendum.