Non-landowning villagers eligible to vote in Municipal Elections

iTaukei villagers who do not own land within municipal boundaries will be allowed to vote in the upcoming municipal council elections.

This was confirmed by Seema Sharma yesterday during a tense exchange with Opposition MP Parveen Bala at a Standing Committee on Social Affairs hearing in Parliament.

Mr Bala challenged Ms Sharma directly, using Ba as an example.

He said in some villages, only one out of several landowning units — known as a mataqali — actually owns land inside a town boundary, yet all villagers in that area would now be included on the electoral roll.

“I’m asking a very simple question, how are the other four mataqali allowed to vote?” Mr Bala said.

Ms Sharma said the inclusion was lawful under Section 125 of the Local Government Act, which allows villages within town boundaries or within a two-kilometre radius to be included.

She said the change aligned voting rules with electoral requirements, since proxy voting — where one person votes on behalf of a group — is not permitted.

Ms Sharma confirmed the included villagers would not pay town rates, as their waste management services would instead be subsidised by the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs while formal arrangements were worked out with councils.

Municipal council elections are scheduled for September.

The Local Government Act is currently under full review, with public consultations recently completed.