Republic of Fiji Islands v Prasad
Republic of Fiji Islands v Prasad is a 2001 landmark decision of the Court of Appeal of Fiji which upheld the 1997 Constitution of Fiji in the aftermath of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. The court agreed with the previous High Court of Fiji ruling that the constitution had not been overturned and that Parliament had not been dissolved, but only prorogued. It also found that the office of President of Fiji had only become vacant in December 2000 after Kamisese Mara resigned following the High Court ruling. The interim government accepted the decision, and new elections were held in August and September 2001. Background 2000 coups On 19 May 2000 civilian gunmen led by failed businessman George Speight stormed the Fijian Parliament and took Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his government hostage. Speight claimed to have seized power on behalf of ethnic Fijians, and purported to have revoked the 1997 constitution and appointed himself interim president and opposition MP Timoci Silatolu as interim Prime Minister. President Kamisese Mara responded by declaring a state of emergency. Following a breakdown in law and order, military defections, and a gun battle at Parliament, Mara sacked Chaudhry for being unable to perform his