Fiji Elections

A third of polling stations have been counted after polling day on Wednesday.

At midday SODELPA had an eight percent lead over Frank Bainimarama's FijiFirst, with two thirds of polling stations still to be added to the national tally.

The National Results Centre is entering data as result sheets are transported in from around the country.

Provisional results from the polling stations indicated a slim victory for Mr Bainimarama.

The elections authorities have urged people not to heed false reports a second count is being conducted.

The blackout was supposed to have been lifted at the close of polls on Wednesday.

But the ban on reporting election campaigning will last until extra polling ends on Saturday.

Heavy rain forced the early closure of 25 polling stations on Wednesday and the cancellation of about 7500 votes.

Election authorities have announced they will reopen these stations on Saturday.

Provisional results show a win for Frank Bainimarama's FijiFirst but counting is still underway.

By the end of last week the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) had processed 178 candidates representing four political parties.

Those rejected had failed to meet the requirements of the Electoral Act, according to the FEO.

The FijiFirst Party, the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) and the National Federation Party (NFP) all presented a full line-up for the 51 parliamentary seats and each had one candidate rejected.

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem says that 316, 431 are females while 321, 096 are males.

Saneem says the central division has 265,184 voters, the west has 244, 245 voters, 99, 094 in the North, East has 26, 034 voters while 7, 970 are overseas registered voters.

He says 70, 519 voters have been assigned for pre-poll while 559, 038 Fijians will be vote on Election Day.

Saneem says the final numbers for Election Day will be available on the 27 of this month after they have finalised the postal voting applications.

The government announced on Sunday afternoon Fiji's president had dissolved the parliament on the advice of the prime minister in accordance with Fiji's constitution.

FBC News reports the election writ is expected to be issued on Monday and an election date of November 14 has been set, although there has been no official announcement.

It will be Fiji's second election since the 2006 military takeover by Frank Bainimarama who won a landslide victory in the 2014 polls under a new electoral system brought in with the 2013 Constitution.

Under Fiji's election system introduced for the 2014 election, candidates are only identified on the ballot paper by a number.

This year the numbers will start from 508.

The chairperson of the Electoral Commission Suresh Chandra said concerns were raised about including 666 when it was realised it fell within the range being allocated to candidates this year.

Mr Chandra said the commission had a thorough discussion about it, consulting political parties and other stakeholders over the issue.