2 Jun 2014

Fiji political grouping says elections supervisor got it wrong

12:39 pm on 2 June 2014

The United Front for a Democratic Fiji says the dismissal of objections to the registration of the Fiji First party ignored clear breaches of the political parties decree.

Mr Beddoes says Bijai Prasad, who was initially proposed as a party vice-president, wrongly claimed he had no criminal record - an offence that can incur a fine and up to five years in prison or both.

The Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem, says following the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, he cannot discriminate against Mr Prasad on the basis of his conviction, and noted Mr Prasad had resigned as an officer of the party.

But Mr Beddoes says the response did not deal with the false declaration.

"He says that Mr BJ Prasad's incarceration was a long time ago and therefore his record is expunged after a period of time. That's not the question - it is about a false declaration."

The spokesperson for the UFDF, Mick Beddoes.