The Electoral Commission has introduced new rules establishing how complaints against the Supervisor of Elections and officers of the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) will be investigated and decided.
The Complaint Against the Supervisor and Officers of the FEO Rules 2026, which came into force on 29 July 2026, were adopted under section 155(1) of the Electoral Act 2014.
The rules apply to complaints against decisions made by the Supervisor, election officials or FEO employees under the Electoral Act, the Electoral (Registration of Voters) Act 2012, and the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
Under the rules, only candidates and registered political parties are eligible to lodge complaints.
Complaints must be filed within 48 hours of an applicant becoming aware of the decision, action or inaction being challenged.
The Electoral Commission must provide the complaint to the Supervisor within 24 hours, with the Supervisor required to respond within a further 24 hours.
The rules also allow relevant political parties or other persons to join proceedings as third parties, provided all applications are lodged within the prescribed timeframes.
Where necessary, the Commission may convene an in-person hearing, which must be scheduled within 24 hours of receiving the complaint.
The rules require the Commission to issue its decision within 72 hours of a complaint being filed.
If a complaint is lodged before polling day, the Electoral Act requires the Commission to deliver its decision before polling day.
The Electoral Commission said the rules are intended to provide an expedited process for resolving election-related complaints while ensuring matters are dealt with fairly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
