Riya Mala 
Many political parties insist that electoral reform must be as inclusive as possible, ensuring no one is left behind.
This was highlighted by the Fiji Labour Party Management Board Member Satish Kumar who is calling for simpler and clearer reforms.
He stresses the importance of balancing long-term stability with short-term benefits, while also highlighting the need for compatibility with other institutions and traditional values.
Kumar says that to make voting more straightforward for Fijians, the Fiji Labour Party is pushing for electoral reforms that would include party logos and candidate names directly on the ballot.
“Like the culture of using three-digit numbers for candidates what utter nonsense. Throughout my life, I’ve been known as Satish Kumar, and then one month before the election, I’m given a three-digit number. And you expect voters across the nation to remember that number and vote accordingly? We’ve seen the results.”
Kumar claims the current system is causing considerable confusion among voters.
He also raised concerns about the electoral threshold, stating that some political candidates with fewer votes are still entering government and that this needs to change.
SODELPA General Secretary Viliame Takayawa says reform is only good if it brings real, positive change.
“We’ve brought up Section 53 of the Constitution, which our friend John is now advocating. But we’ve always advocated for it it’s always been in the Constitution that we can have a multi-district or multi-constituency system. Unfortunately, that view hasn’t been taken up by the legal fraternity in Fiji.”
Takayawa stresses the need for reforms that ensure fair and proper representation for all.
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