‘Devil’s number’ 666 barred from Fiji election again

Fiji’s Electoral Commission has again barred the number 666 from being assigned to candidates at the next general election, citing respect for religious beliefs.

In a directive dated 10 November 2026, Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Usaia Ratuvili instructed the Supervisor of Elections to exclude 666 when allocating three-digit candidate numbers.

“Out of respect for religious considerations, omit the number 666 from the allocation of 3-digit numbers to candidates under section 36(2)(c) of the Electoral Act 2014,” the directive stated.

The Bible’s Book of Revelation calls 666 the “number of the Beast”. The number is widely associated with the Devil in Christian tradition.

The commission made the same decision in January 2018 under then-chairperson Suresh Chandra, following consultations with registered political parties. Its annual report recorded the exclusion of 666 as the commission’s first official decision that year.

A total of 235 candidates received three-digit numbers through a public draw for the 2018 general election, with 666 left out.

The latest directive was issued under sections 76(2) and (3) of the 2013 Constitution and section 8(a) of the Electoral Act 2014.

Under Fiji’s electoral system, each candidate is assigned a unique three-digit number that voters use to identify their preferred candidate on the ballot paper.