The Ministry of I-taukei Affairs and the Fijian Election Office will take action against traditional office holders who will not allow election officials into villages.
In 2014 some election officials were not allowed to go into villages and now village headman and District representatives have been warned not to stop anyone from exercising their right to vote.
Permanent Secretary I-taukei Affairs Naipote Katonitabua says this will not happen again and people involved will be taken to task.
“We have confirmed to the supervisor of election that we will be responsible to assist their officials”
Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem says traditional office holders should always be neutral under the law.
“It is the responsibility of everyone holding traditional office or an official position to be a political in exercising their powers or their appointments but in any event they must understand that electoral rights are individual personal rights.”
Saneem says they will work closely with the i-taukei affairs Ministry to ensure that this issue will not happen again.
