Surjeet Singh's Fiji Elections Archive

The third general election since independence was held from 17 September to 24 September 1977.

Qualification to be registered as a voter

Any person may be registered as voter on a roll if he is a citizen of Fiji and has attained the age of 21 years. The insane, those owing allegiance to a State outside the British Commonwealth, those under sentence of death or imprisonment for a term exceeding 12 months, and those guilty of offences connected with elections may not be registered. Voting was not compulsory.

Composition of the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives consisted of 52 members elected for 5 years on the following basis:

— Fijian: 12 members elected by voters on the Fijian Communal Roll;

10 members elected by voters on the National Roll.

— Indian: 12 members elected by voters on the Indian Communal Roll;

10 members elected by voters on the National Roll.

— General (persons neither Fijian, other Pacific Islanders, nor Indians):

3 members elected by voters on the General Communal Roll;

5 members elected on the National Roll.

The " National Roll" consists of all registered electors on the 3 Communal Rolls.

Qualification to be a candidate

Any voter shall be qualified to be elected as member of the House of Representatives, however, the following are disqualified:

- any one who is an undischarged bankrupt is disqualified.
- who holds a public office;
- who has in the preceding 3 years held certain government posts;
- who is interested in certain government contracts;

- who holds any office connected with an election to the House.

Candidatures must be submitted on a nomination paper signed by 6 to 8 voters of the subject constituency, and accompanied by a deposit of $100.

Constituencies

Fiji is divided into 9 constituencies, each returning one communally elected Fijian member; into 9 constituencies each returning one communally elected Indian member; and into 3 constituencies each returning 1 communally elected General member. For the National Roll elections there are 10 constituencies, each returning a Fijian and an Indian member, and these are combined into 5 pairs for the purpose of each returning 1 General member.

Constituency boundaries are delimited by a Constituency Boundaries Commission.

Each voter is entitled to cast 4 votes: 1 in respect of the Communal Roll constituency in which he is registered, and 3 in respect of the National Roll constituencies in which he is registered

Election Result
The March-April general elections earlier in the year had led to the dissolution of Parliament on June 1 after the minority Alliance Party Government had been defeated in a vote of confidence, and had resigned. While the strongest challenge to the Alliance Party again came from the National Federation Party (NFP), the latter was this time split into two factions — the "dove" faction of NFP leader Siddiq Koya and the "flower" faction under the leadership of Mr. Jai Ram Reddy — which presented separate lists of candidates.

On polling day marked by a turnout of approximately 77.5 %, these internal divisions helped to give the Alliance Party its largest overall House majority since independence in 1970. The Alliance Party won 36 seats to the Flower Faction's 12 and the Dove Faction's 3. Support for the Alliance Party was interpreted by observers as the expression of a public desire to end months of racial hostility among the nation's inhabitants. Outgoing Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara formed a new Cabinet on September 29.

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	The third general election since independence was held from 17 September to 24 September 1977. Qualification to be registered as a voter Any person may be registered as voter on a roll if he is a citizen of Fiji and has attained the age of 21 years. The insane, those owing allegiance to a State outside the British Commonwealth, those under sentence of death or imprisonment for a term exceeding 12 months, and those guilty of offences connected with elections may not be registered. Voting was not compulsory. Composition of the House of Representatives The House of Representatives consisted of 52 members elected for 5 years on the following basis: — Fijian: 12 members elected by voters on the Fijian Communal Roll; 10 members elected by voters on the National Roll. — Indian: 12 members elected by voters on the Indian Communal Roll; 10 members elected by voters on the National Roll. — General (persons neither Fijian, other Pacific Islanders, nor Indians): 3 members elected by voters on the General Communal Roll; 5 members elected on the National Roll. The " National Roll" consists of all registered electors on the 3 Communal Rolls. Qualification to be a candidate Any voter shall be qualified to be elected as member of the House of Representatives, however, the following are disqualified: - any one who is an undischarged bankrupt is disqualified. - who holds a public office; - who has in the preceding 3 years held certain government posts; - who is interested in certain government contracts; - who holds any office connected with an election to the House. Candidatures must be submitted on a nomination paper signed by 6 to 8 voters of the subject constituency, and accompanied by a deposit of $100. Constituencies Fiji is divided into 9 constituencies, each returning one communally elected Fijian member; into 9 constituencies each returning one communally elected Indian member; and into 3 constituencies each returning 1 communally elected General member. For the National Roll elections there are 10 constituencies, each returning a Fijian and an Indian member, and these are combined into 5 pairs for the purpose of each returning 1 General member. Constituency boundaries are delimited by a Constituency Boundaries Commission. Each voter is entitled to cast 4 votes: 1 in respect of the Communal Roll constituency in which he is registered, and 3 in respect of the National Roll constituencies in which he is registered Election Result The March-April general elections earlier in the year had led to the dissolution of Parliament on June 1 after the minority Alliance Party Government had been defeated in a vote of confidence, and had resigned. While the strongest challenge to the Alliance Party again came from the National Federation Party (NFP), the latter was this time split into two factions — the "dove" faction of NFP leader Siddiq Koya and the "flower" faction under the leadership of Mr. Jai Ram Reddy — which presented separate lists of candidates. On polling day marked by a turnout of approximately 77.5 %, these internal divisions helped to give the Alliance Party its largest overall House majority since independence in 1970. The Alliance Party won 36 seats to the Flower Faction's 12 and the Dove Faction's 3. Support for the Alliance Party was interpreted by observers as the expression of a public desire to end months of racial hostility among the nation's inhabitants. Outgoing Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara formed a new Cabinet on September 29.	Fijian communal seats Bua/Macuata Cakaudrove Lau/Rotuma Tailevu Naitasiri Rewa/Serua/Namosi Lomaiviti/Muanikau Kadavu/Tamavua/Suva Suburban Ra/Samabula/Suva Nadroga/Navosa Ba/Nadi Vuda/Yasawa Fijian national seats Vanua Levu North and West Lau/Cakaudrove/Rotuma East Central South Eastern Suva South Central North Eastern North Central North Western South Western General communal seats Northern and Eastern South/Central Western General national seats Vanua Levu/Lau/Rotuma Eastern Southern Northern Western Indian communal seats Labasa/Bua Savusavu/Macuata East Nausori/Levuka Nasinu/Vunidawa Suva City Suva Rural Tavua/Vaileka Ba Ba/Lautoka Rural Lautoka Nadi Sigatoka Indian national seats Vanua Levu North and West Lau/Cakaudrove/Rotuma East Central South Eastern Suva South Central North Eastern North Central North Western South Western
Last modified on 04 Jul 2007 \| Email me \| © Surjeet Singh