SUVA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fijian President Jioji Konrote issued on Monday the writ of 2018 general elections, confirming that the general elections will be held on Nov. 14 this year.
According to a government statement, while issuing the writ to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Suresh Chandra in the Fijian capital of Suva on Monday, Konrote said that it was virtue of the Constitution necessary to hold an election of members to seek and vote in parliament.
The president said that therefore in exercise of the powers issued in section 59-1 of the constitution and section 21 of the Electoral Commission 2014 and on the advice of Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, he commands the Electoral Commission to course an election to be held according to law.
The president announced that the registration of voters for the election will stop at 6 p.m. local time on Monday, and the Fijian Elections Office is to receive the nominations of candidates by midday Oct. 15 this year.
The General Election is to take place on Nov. 14 this year and pre-poll and postal voting prior to this.
Konrote also highlighted that the names of candidates, elected as members of parliament, are to be endorsed and the writ to be returned on or before Nov. 28.
On Sunday, after Fijian Prime Minister Bainimarama's meeting with Fijian President Konrote who announced to dissolve the parliament immediately, the Fijian government announced to hold the general elections on Nov. 14, 2018.
This is the second time for Fijians to head to the polls under the 2013 Fijian Constitution.
Currently, Fiji has a population of over 880,000, with more than 600,000 registered voters.
The FijiFirst party, the island nation's ruling party, is ready to participate in the general elections by announcing 51 provisional candidates, including 11 women candidates recently.
The number of polling venues has increased from 1,361 in 2014 to 1,435 in 2018.
Fiji's latest general election was held in September 2014, the first ever since the country's 2006 coup.
