Polling ends in Fiji

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, SEPT. 1. Polling ended in Fiji today for elections to 71 Parliamentary seats. The election is the first since the coup of May 19, 2000, which led to the ouster of the democratically- elected Prime Minister of Indian origin, Mr. Mahendra Chaudhry.

The polling, which began on August 25, has been peaceful. There have been some complaints of voters not being able to cast ballots as their name did not figure in the electoral lists.

Mr. Walter Rigomoto, elections supervisor, was quoted as saying in Suva today that he was confident that about 90 per cent of the electorate of 4,51,000 would have cast their vote.

Counting begins on Monday in the preferential vote system and is expected to be completed on September 6. The first results are expected on Tuesday.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : India for lifting of sanctions against Iraq
Next     : Nauru, New Zealand don saviour role