![Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry. [Image: File]](https://www.fijivillage.com/news_images/66385196961297a14b3077d8b1f2b4.jpg)
Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry says the remarks by Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on the Court of Disputed Returns ruling in the case of SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula, are unwarranted and in bad taste.
While reacting to the Attorney General’s comments, Chaudhry says Sayed-Khaiyum's absurd claim that lawyers from both the sides “did not do a good job”, reflects poorly on his own Solicitor General who appeared for the Supervisor of Elections, albeit quite improperly.
The FLP Leader says as holder of an independent constitutional office, the Supervisor of Elections should not have been represented by the State law office in the first place.
He says it is only proper that all independent office holders have legal representation separate from that of the State.
Chaudhry says the Niko Nawaikula case did not evolve around the issue of registering one’s name twice, as alluded to by the Attorney General.
He says it was about him using his common name to register and not the name on his birth certificate.
The FLP Leader says the Supervisor of Elections had created this controversy with his ruling some time back that voters must register using the name on their birth certificates.
He says this caused widespread concern at the time, particularly in relation to women who normally register under their married names.
Chaudhry says the court ruling is thus welcomed, because it has clarified this issue, putting the matter to rest.
He says as for the Attorney General’s comment on free and fair elections, it would be better for him to address the various anomalies in the Electoral and Political Parties Acts that really breach the principles of free and fair elections.
Chaudhry says the AG could start by addressing important recommendations in the 2018 report of the Multinational Observer Group in this regard.
The FLP Leader says more importantly, as general secretary of the Fiji First Party, it is unethical and improper for him to hold the Elections portfolio.
