Lawyer Basita Michael Raises Concerns Over Change of Election Date
Prominent lawyer and activist Basita Michael has expressed concerns over the Government’s decision to fix national elections on the second Saturday in November.
She says the move departs from both the Tripartite Framework recommendations and the Government’s White Paper on the Cowan Constitutional Review Report.
In a public statement, Michael noted that while the new constitutional bill is being promoted as a step toward “clear and predictable elections,” the choice of November as a fixed date was neither recommended by the Tripartite Framework nor adopted in the Government’s 2021 White Paper.
Michael questioned why such a significant change was introduced without public justification, highlighting that holding elections in November places them close to the festive season, which could complicate logistics and affect voter participation. She also warned that making such a crucial constitutional decision outside the promised consensus-building process risks undermining public confidence in the reform process.
Her intervention underscores a growing debate over the balance between predictability in election scheduling and inclusive, consensus-driven reform.
While fixing a date may provide clarity, critics argue that bypassing established recommendations could erode public trust in the constitutional review process.