The National Federation Party (NFP) has reminded its four Members of Parliament that they risk losing their parliamentary seats if they vote or abstain contrary to the party’s formal direction on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026.
In a four-page directive dated October 30 and signed by party president Parmod Chand and general secretary Kamal Iyer, the NFP’s Management Board invoked section 63(1)(h) of the 2013 Constitution in directing all four MPs to vote against the Bill at its third reading.
The directive states that any MP who votes or abstains contrary to a party direction, without prior permission, may face the vacation of their parliamentary seat under the constitutional provision.
The party has issued a three-line whip, requiring all four MPs to attend Parliament and vote expressly against the Bill.
“Every National Federation Party Member of Parliament is hereby directed to vote against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 at its third reading,” the directive states.
The Management Board has made it clear that no permission has been granted to any MP to vote in favour of the Bill or abstain.
The MPs have also been warned against deliberately absenting themselves from Parliament, withdrawing from the Chamber or taking any other action to avoid recording their opposition.
The directive states that neither the party leader nor the parliamentary whip can individually vary or withdraw the Management Board’s decision.
“No verbal assurance, informal communication or personal understanding shall constitute permission to depart from the directive,” it states.
Each of the four MPs has also been instructed to provide the general secretary with a signed written undertaking before the third-reading vote.
The undertaking must confirm that they have read and understood the directive, will attend Parliament, vote against the Bill and will not abstain.
The directive further refers to section 63(3) of the 2013 Constitution, which prescribes the procedure for notifying the Speaker of an alleged contravention.
The Management Board said any alleged breach would be addressed in accordance with the applicable constitutional provisions, parliamentary procedures and the NFP Constitution.
The party said the decision to oppose the Bill followed consideration of the proposed amendments, the recommendations of Parliament’s Special Parliamentary Committee and the NFP’s 18 constitutional non-negotiables adopted on October 14.
The directive was issued under clause 35 of the NFP Constitution, which empowers the Management Board to direct the affairs of the party between Working Committee meetings.
It also refers to clause 37, which requires party members to remain faithful to the party and support its policies.
The general secretary has been instructed to communicate the directive individually to all four MPs and obtain and retain their signed undertakings.
The move formalises the NFP’s position following party leader Professor Biman Prasad’s announcement that the party would withdraw from the Special Parliamentary Committee overseeing the Constitution Amendment Bill.
Professor Prasad said the NFP had exhausted all avenues to convince Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the committee to extend the constitutional reform process beyond the next general election.
He criticised the consultation process as rushed and inadequate, arguing that constitutional legitimacy should not be sacrificed for political expediency.
The NFP maintains that it remains committed to constitutional reform but wants the process to continue through proper parliamentary scrutiny and informed public participation.
