PS: Squatters can vote

RESIDENTS of informal settlements within town boundaries can participate in the upcoming municipal elections scheduled by the end of the year.

Permanent secretary for Local Government Seema Sharma confirmed this in response to a query from former labour party candidate, Surendra Lal regarding eligibility for the elections.

Ms Sharma told ratepayers during a public consultation in Labasa on Thursday last week that individuals must reside within the town boundary for more than three months to be eligible to participate in the election.

“Residents of the town are eligible to participate in the municipal election,” she said.

“Living within the town boundary for more than three months is one of the many requirements for residents to take part in the upcoming election.”

Ms Sharma clarified that business owners not residing within the town boundary were not eligible to participate in the elections.

“The law requires residency for participation in the elections,” she said.

Civic awareness programs, she said, would be conducted across all 13 municipalities to help ratepayers better understand the significance of the elections.

“Also, the awareness is for people to know the difference between municipal and national elections,” the permanent secretary said.

“There will be a lot of activities in the coming months concerning the municipal elections.”

For the municipal elections to be held this year, she said no legal amendments were made to the town boundaries.

“We have held two rounds of consultation on the municipal elections, during which we discussed the town boundaries,” she said.

Any changes to the town boundary, she added, would be decided after the new council is elected.