An international constitutional and election specialist, Andrew Ladley, says it is crucial for all political parties to accept their country's electoral set-up if an election is to be deemed free and fair.
All four registered parties in Fiji have criticised the run-up to the polls and called for the resignation of the Minister of Elections, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, after revelations he is an official in the regime-backed party Fiji First.
Dr Ladley says by internationally recognised standards for free and fair elections, the run-up to any election is deemed just as important as election day and the measurement is not just based on objective criteria.
"The principle is that the administration of elections should be impartial and as far as possible should not be subject to either the actuality or the perception that it's being biased in favour of incumbents or anyone else."
Dr Ladley says this principle is especially important as a country emerges from a long period without elections.
