Pacific / Samoa

Samoa AG to amend disputed electoral provisions

16:09 pm on 9 September 2020

Samoa's new electoral act will be amended after a private legal challenge brought by two lawyers.

Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio and Papalii Tavita Moala argued that the provisions in the Act were discriminatory and unconstitutional.

Specifically, they challenged an exemption for sitting members from certain provisions and the power vested in the electoral commissioner.

After a meeting with the attorney general on Monday, the pair said they had agreed to drop the case after changes were promised.

The court ordered the Attorney General to make changes to the act and to put it to Parliament for the final decision.

Parliament is likely to discuss the changes before the registration of candidates for the 2021 general election opens in mid-October.