A Macuata canefarmer said Parliament should be made up of members who received the highest number of votes.
During consultation on proposed changes to electoral laws at Wavuwavu, Macuata, last week, Jynti Lal said he disagreed with the current system.
In his submission to the parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, he said political party candidates who received the highest votes should be in Parliament.
Mr Lal said the present system was not fair because some FijiFirst Party members “who received lesser votes” were in Parliament while candidates of other parties who got more ticks did not get in.
In response, committee chairman Alvick Maharaj explained that votes under the current system were directed towards political parties and not to individual candidates.
“It’s not an individual vote but it’s for the party and it’s in the Constitution,” he said.
“The parties fight the general elections and in order for a particular party to form the next government, they need to win certain numbers and it’s a minimum of 26.
“So when you vote for a candidate, it goes to the party.”
Mr Lal interjected and said the system needed to change because candidates who received the highest number of votes represented more people than those who received less.
Mr Maharaj said for any changes to be made, certain procedures needed to be followed because it was in the Constitution.
