A New Caledonian candidate in next month's election of a new French assembly has lodged a complaint over an opinion poll published in Noumea's daily newspaper.
"Harold Martin [ pron: arold mar-tinn ] of The Future Together Party says the demands of objectivity were not met in the poll by TNS which was carried by the Nouvelles Caledoniennes."
He says one of the associates of the polling firm is linked to the electoral commission.
Mr Martin also says the methodology disadvantaged the country side which in turn exaggerated the backing given to the anti-independence Rassemblement camp.
The complaint, which goes to an agency linked to the French supreme court, also questions the calling of phone boxes in Kanak tribal areas to gauge voter sentiments.