[Photo: FILE]

Political candidates will have their financial disclosure deadline cut from 60 days to 30 days under proposed changes to the political party laws.

The amendments also seek to strengthen accountability by clearly classifying electoral offences as either corrupt or illegal practices.

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo introduced the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosure (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026, saying the change would align candidates’ financial disclosure deadlines with other reporting requirements under the Act.

The amendment also identifies specific offences under the Political Parties Act as either corrupt electoral practices or illegal electoral practices.

Vosarogo said the changes address provisions that were not covered by previous amendments and would ensure electoral offences are classified consistently across Fiji’s electoral laws.

Changes are also being made to the Electoral Registration of Voters Act.

Vosarogo said two amendments would ensure voter qualification requirements under the legislation are consistent with those set out in the Constitution.

A further amendment would classify an offence under the voter registration legislation as a corrupt electoral practice.

He said the three Bills were intended to strengthen accountability, improve compliance with financial disclosure requirements and promote consistency in the regulation of political parties.

Parliament has approved a motion allowing all three electoral amendment Bills to proceed through a single stage at one sitting, without referral to a standing committee or any other parliamentary committee.

The motion, moved by Vosarogo under Standing Order 51 and seconded by Ro Filipe Tuisawau, also limits debate on the three Bills to one hour, with a vote scheduled for today.