Litia Cava 
[File Photo]
The National Referendum postal voting process could be scrapped if the Constitution Amendment Bill is defeated at its third reading.
The Electoral Commission says it will close the process and stop referendum preparations if the Writ is not issued.
Postal voting applications are already open for the proposed December 9 referendum, although the Writ has not been issued.
The Commission and the Fijian Elections Office say opening applications is allowed under the Electoral Act 2014 and National Referendum Act 2026. They say Section 6(1) of the Referendum Act applies the Electoral Act provisions on postal voting to referendums.
They have also stressed that opening postal voting applications does not mean the referendum Writ has been issued.
They say the process allows eligible voters to apply in advance while the FEO assesses applications and prepares possible voting arrangements.
Eligible voters may apply if they will be outside Fiji, away from their assigned polling station, unavailable because of work or family commitments, or unable to vote in person for another lawful reason on 9 December.
However, if Parliament rejects the Constitution Amendment Bill at the third reading and the Writ is not issued, the Electoral Commission says it will announce the closure of the postal voting application process and cease all referendum preparations.
Those who had applied for postal voting would not receive ballot papers.
The Commission and FEO say they are acting within their respective constitutional and statutory mandates.
