Pacific / New Caledonia

New Caledonia voters reinstated

13:47 pm on 12 October 2016

France's highest court has overturned 60 decisions by New Caledonian courts which had struck voters off the provincial electoral rolls.

The territory's newspaper said this related to court decisions made in April.

The provincial rolls in New Caledonia are restricted to long term residents and the inscription of many people had been challenged.

Anti-independence parties had accused the French High Commission of committing a serious blunder when it passed on information to the team vetting the roll.

It in turn referred the matter to France's highest court which struck out the New Caledonian decisions.

The territory has another roll restricted to voters eligible to take part in the independence referendum due by 2018.