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Candidates for election to Parliament
56.—(1) A candidate for election to Parliament must be either nominated by a
registered political party or nominated as an independent candidate in accordance with
the laws governing elections.
(2) A person may be a candidate for election to Parliament only if the person—
(a) is a citizen of Fiji, and does not hold citizenship of any other country;
(b) is registered on the Register of Voters;
(c) is ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least 2 years immediately before being
nominated;
(d) is not an undischarged bankrupt;
(e) is not a member of the Electoral Commission, and has not been a member
of that Commission at any time during the 4 years immediately before
being nominated;
(f)
is not subject to a sentence of imprisonment when nominated;
(g) has not, at any time during the 8 years immediately before being nominated,
been convicted of any offence under any law for which the maximum
penalty is a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more; and
(h) has not been found guilty of any offence under a law relating to elections,
registration of political parties or registration of voters.
(3) The total number of candidates which a political party may nominate for any
general election must not be more than the total number of seats in Parliament, and the
total number of candidates which a political party may nominate for any by-election
must not be more than the total number of vacant seats in Parliament for which the byelection is being held.
(4) A written law may make provision relating to the nomination of candidates for
election to Parliament.
(5) Every candidate, and every political party nominating a candidate, must comply
with any written law governing elections.
Candidates who are public officers
57.—(1) A person who holds a public office is deemed to have vacated that office at
the time at which his or her signed nomination as a candidate for election to Parliament is
delivered to the relevant returning officer or to the person who under the laws governing
elections is authorised to receive nominations of candidates.
(2) A person who has held office as a member of the Electoral Commission or as
the Supervisor of Elections is ineligible to be nominated as a candidate for election to
Parliament for 4 years after ceasing to hold that office.