Bill Removes Fijian People from Constitutional Amendment Process

The opposition bench has been thrown into chaos as four of its members of Parliament have broken ranks, dealing a significant blow to Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu’s authority.

Rinesh Sharma, Sanjay Kirpal, Shalen Kumar, and Sachida Nand have all voted in favour of the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2025.

The split comes amid heated debates over Bill No. 1 of 2025, which seeks to amend the Constitution and remove the requirement for a public referendum on constitutional changes.

The bill, introduced by the government, proposes lowering the threshold for amending the Constitution from a three-quarters parliamentary majority to two-thirds while also eliminating the need for a nationwide referendum

The government has defended the bill, arguing that Fiji’s referendum requirement is impractical and that constitutional amendments should be handled solely by elected representatives.

Attorney-General Graham Leung, who tabled the bill, stated, “The Fijian Constitution is one of the most challenging in the world to amend.” He noted that under the current framework, amendments require a “three-quarters majority of Parliament and then three-quarters of all registered voters” before they can take effect.

Organisations such as the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement have urged the government to allow more time for consultation, warning that rushed constitutional changes could erode public trust. “Constitutional changes must be transparent and inclusive to ensure the voices of all Fijians are heard,” the organisation stated.

Opposition MP Ketan Lal has also raised concerns, asking the government, “What exactly are you trying to change in the 2013 Constitution? Are you simply looking to consolidate power at the expense of the very freedoms you promised to protect?”

There were 693,915 registered voters in the 2022 Fiji National Election.

Rinesh Sharma received 1,705 votes, accounting for 0.25% of the total votes. Sanjay Kirpal secured 975 votes, which is 0.14% of the total votes. Shalen Kumar garnered 1,088 votes, making up 0.16% of the total while Sachida Nand received 530 votes, representing 0.08% of the total.

Together, these four candidates collectively earned 0.62% of all votes cast in the election, not even reaching 1%.