1972 Fijian general election

none June 2023 June 2023 Fiji parliamentary 1966 Fijian general election 1966 March 1977 Fijian general election 1977 All 52 seats in the House of Representatives 26 15–29 April 1972 Kamisese_Mara.jpg Kamisese Mara Alliance Party (Fiji) 23 seats 33 10 388,550 57.52% 5.58pp National Federation Party NFP 110px 150px Sidiq Koya National Federation Party 9 seats 19 10 241,866 35.81% 6.76pp Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Kamisese Mara Alliance Party (Fiji) Kamisese Mara Alliance Party (Fiji) General elections were held in Fiji between 15 and 29 April 1972,Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p653 0-19-924959-8 the first since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. They were characterised by the lack of rancour between racial groups, typical of the 1966 general election and the 1968 by-elections. The result was a landslide for the Alliance Party of the Prime Minister, Kamisese Mara, which won 33 of the 52 seats, and surprised many observers by capturing almost 25 percent of the Indo-Fijian vote. The Indo-Fijian-dominated National Federation Party led by Sidiq Koya won the remaining 19 seats. The election re-affirmed the political allegiances of the past, with the Alliance Party winning all the Fijian Communal seats with 82% of the vote, as well as all the General Communal seats. The National Federation Party (NFP) won all the Indian Communal sets with 73% of the vote. Voter turnout was 85.2% in the communal seats. Electoral system The 52-member House of Representatives consisted of 27 members elected from communal constituencies (12 Fijian, 12 Indo-Fijian and three general electors) and 25 members elected from national constituencies (10 Fijian, 10 Indo-Fijian and five general electors),Bigger House Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1972, p25 all elected by first-past-the-post voting. Voters could cast up to four votes; one in their own communal constituency, and three in their national constituency, in which they voted for a Fijian, Indo-Fijian and general elector candidate.Nohlen et al., p648 Results #f8f9fa 19 National Federation Party 33 Alliance Party (Fiji) Alliance Party 388550 33 +10 National Federation Party 241866 19 +10 Fijian Independent Party 1535 0 New Independents 43521 0 –2 14201 +16 169126 Total ballots cast 205617 Nohlen et al. Aftermath Following the elections, R. D. Patel of the National Federation Party became Speaker. Prime Minister Mara carried out a cabinet reshuffle, appointing a new cabinet with 14 ministers, an increase from 12 in the previous government. He appointed two members to the Senate – John Falvey and Penaia Ganilau – to allow them to join the cabinet.Surprise changes in the Cabinet in Fiji Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1972, p13 PositionMinisterPrime MinisterKamisese MaraDeputy Prime MinisterEdward CakobauMinister for Agriculture, Fisheries and ForestsDouglas Walkden-BrownAttorney GeneralJohn FalveyMinister for Commerce, Industries and Co-operativesM. T. KhanMinister for Communications, Works and TourismPenaia GanilauMinister for Education, Youth and SportJone NaisaraMinister for Fijian AffairsWillian ToganivaluMinister for FinanceCharles StinsonMinister for HealthJames Shankar SinghMinister for LabourJonati MavoaMinister for Lands, Mines and Mineral ResourcesJosua ToganivaluMinister of Urban Development, Housing and Social WelfareVijay R. SinghMinister without PortfolioGeorge CakobauSource: Pacific Islands Monthly See also List of members of the Parliament of Fiji (1972–1977) References Category:Elections in Fiji General Fiji Fiji Fiji