Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem has today clarified why the Fijian Elections Office has requested parliament to consider amending the Electoral Act.

In preparation for the 2022 General Election, the Fijian Elections Office has recommended changes to the Act to reflect practical ways of implementing existing provisions of the Act.

Saneem says with the increase in the number of candidates, the size of the ballot paper has to change.

The recommended changes include amendment to section 100 of the Act to allow the Electoral Commission to approve the method of packing unused, used and spoiled ballot papers after the count of the ballot papers.

Saneem says the maximum number of voters at any polling station is 650 as approved by the Electoral Commission.

“The Fijian Elections Office will therefore be required to send 13 books to every polling station that has got the maximum number of candidates. So if there is a lesser number of candidates we will send an equivalent number of ballot papers but it’s all in books. So each book is 50 ballot papers.”

Saneem adds the recommendation also includes that the Electoral Commission be empowered to consider the practicality of the operations in order to approve the best means for a transparent, safe and variable mechanism to transport ballot material from polling stations.

“Consider the weight of 13 books which is the maximum number of books that can go to a polling station, why because the books are going to be taken by staff into the polling station, they will be loading the books in the vehicles, into the platforms. So the weight is very important. And imagine having to carry these boxes for 300 meters or if a team that is going to Nasovakarua, they will be carrying that box, luckily they will only carry about four ballot books, but the box will be carried to the river at least three times climbing mountains, going down the hills to reach the village after an hour and a half plus hiking.”

The Supervisor of Elections further explains that the ballot boxes doesn’t go empty.

“From the Fijian Elections Office warehouse, the ballot box will carry sensitive materials, such as the indelible ink, it will carry the presiding officer’s record book, it will carry the protocol of results sheet, and it will carry other sensitive materials such as temper envelopes. So that means that the box already has some stuff in it before the ballot books are made and put into the box if you use the 2018 procedure.”

Saneem made these clarifications as there were a number of objections from the Opposition Members yesterday, when Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum tabled the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2022 in parliament yesterday, which seeks amendment to reflect recommended changes.