THE High Court in Suva will hear Independent MP Ketan Lal’s application for interim orders to halt the progress of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 on October 22.
The matter was called for the first time before Justice Dane Tuiqereqere yesterday, when lawyer Seforan Fatiaki, representing the Speaker of Parliament, confirmed his client opposed the interim relief sought.
Mr Lal’s lawyer, Mohammed Saneem, is seeking interim orders restraining the Speaker from putting the Bill to a third reading and notifying the President under section 160(3) of the Constitution until the substantive case is determined.
Alternatively, he seeks interim declarations that the Speaker cannot lawfully take either step pending the court’s determination.
Mr Lal is challenging the legal validity of the Bill and its second reading on October 2, arguing that the required constitutional voting threshold was not met.
He also contends that the Bill unlawfully seeks to repeal constitutional immunity provisions and that MPs were denied adequate opportunity to debate it.
The Bill received 38 votes in favour at its second reading.
The Speaker, Attorney-General and Electoral Commission are named as defendants.
Mesake Dawai of the Fiji Elections Office, who appeared for the Electoral Commission, sought 21 days to allow the commission to instruct external counsel.
Solicitor-General Ropate Green appeared for the A-G.
Justice Tuiqereqere issued a timetable for the parties to comply with and fixed the hearing of the interim relief application for October 22.
