Fiji's opposition parties say they've been prevented from serving election petitions on government ministers and MPs who spent hours on Wednesday in a central Suva building.
Suvavou House, home to the chambers of Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. Photo: RNZ / Sally Round
SODELPA and the National Federation Party had 24 hours to serve all FijiFirst MPs with the legal papers as part of their action disputing last month's election results.
SODELPA MP Lynda Tabuya said bailiffs had been trying to serve the papers on the MPs at the office of the Attorney General but had not been allowed in.
She said some of the MPs had spent the night in the offices and food had been supplied throughout the day.
"It is really absurd what is happening right now. We feel that the process has been frustrated by the evasion of service by the FijiFirst government and the members of parliament and we are just still appealing to them to do the right thing and come down or come out and accept service."
It was an affront to the process and 21 day right of appeal after the return of the election writ, she said, with the action at risk of being thrown out without the petitions being served.
But she said there was the option of filing additional action.
"Our bailiffs will be able to sign affidavits and also attest to the fact that they have knowledge that they have not accepted service or they have been evading service so we'll see what the court has to say about that."
The opposition is disputing some of the tallying and the allocation of seats and numbers.
Ms Tabuya said there were also allegations about unlawful activities of election candidates during the blackout period for campaigning, as well as FijiFirst members giving out "freebies" in their official position as ministers.
FijiFirst led by Frank Bainimarama was elected with a reduced majority to another four years in power in the November 14 election.