![SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula was represented by Apted, Graham Leung and Sevuloni Valenitabua. [image: Nawaikula/Facebook]](https://www.fijivillage.com/news_images/18234313536129c3b36ca234d0de71.jpg)
Constitutional lawyer and former Supervisor of Elections, Jon Apted who was one of the lawyers representing SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula says it is incorrect to criticize them for not addressing the question of double registration.
While responding to the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum's comments that lawyers from both sides in the case “did not do a good job” Apted says the Supervisor of Elections and the Elections Office never justified the rule about birth certificate names and striking off Nawaikula’s name on the basis of double registration.
Apted says the justification the Elections Office gave for the rule about birth certificate names was that it was the law.
Apted adds as legal counsel for Nawaikula, their job was to put Nawaikula’s case forward.
He further says they on behalf of Nawaikula gave all of the cases from around the Commonwealth showing that it is not the law at all and the law allows you to use whatever name you want, so as long as it is genuine and you are not defrauding anybody.
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On the issue of the government now looking at amending the law to ensure people register as a voter with their birth certificate name or with a name that is legally changed, Apted says it is quite easy to find double registration and other ways to avoid double registration.
Apted also says they can amend the registration form to ask for the birth certificate name or the birth registration number which has been used for vaccination.
He adds this could be discriminatory against women as well.
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