Member of Legislative Council (Fiji) Eastern Indian Constituency
In office 1929–1929
Preceded by
new electoral division
Succeeded by
vacant
Resigned the seat two weeks after being sworn in.
Only males over 21 years of age, who were British subjects and resident continuously in Fiji for 12 months, able to read and write in either English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu or Gurmukhi, in possession of freehold or leasehold in Fiji valued at least 5 pounds per annum for 6 months before the closing of the register or had cash income of not less than 75 pounds per annum or held a government or municipal licence worth at least 5 pounds were eligible to vote. Consequently, only 1,404 out of an Indo-Fijians population of 75,000 were registered to vote. James Ramchandar Rao contested the Eastern Indian Division,[2] which included the islands of Vanua Levu and the Lau and Lomaiviti Group of Islands. His opponent was Khalil Sahim. There were 101 registered electors in the constituency of whom 63 voted for Rao, 20 for Sahim and 5 spoilt their ballot paper
Two weeks after being sworn in he, together with the other two Indo-Fijians representatives, resigned when a motion asking for equal political rights for Indo-Fijians was defeated.
Rao was the proprietor of one of the first picture theatres in Fiji in the old capital of Levuka, on the island of Ovalau.[3]
Referencesedit
^Ali, Ahmed (1980). Plantation to politics. Fiji: University of the South Pacific. p. 115.
^"Fiji Elections Archive: Elections for the Legislative Council, Eastern Division 1929 - 1959". Archived from the original on 2009-10-25.
^Sharma, Guru Dayal (1987). Memories of Fiji: 1887 - 1987. Guru Dayal Sharma, Suva, Fiji. p. 96.
May 03, 2024
james, ramchandar, james, ranchandar, james, ramchandar, maharaj, three, indo, fijians, elected, legislative, council, fiji, october, 1929, when, indo, fijians, were, given, first, opportunity, elect, their, representatives, 1929, elections, other, were, vishn. James Ranchandar Rao a k a James Ramchandar Maharaj 1 was one of the three Indo Fijians elected to the Legislative Council of Fiji in October 1929 when Indo Fijians were given the first opportunity to elect their own representatives in the 1929 elections The other two were Vishnu Deo and Parmanand Singh James Ramchandar RaoMember of Legislative Council Fiji Eastern Indian ConstituencyIn office 1929 1929Preceded bynew electoral divisionSucceeded byvacantResigned the seat two weeks after being sworn in Only males over 21 years of age who were British subjects and resident continuously in Fiji for 12 months able to read and write in either English Hindi Telugu Tamil Urdu or Gurmukhi in possession of freehold or leasehold in Fiji valued at least 5 pounds per annum for 6 months before the closing of the register or had cash income of not less than 75 pounds per annum or held a government or municipal licence worth at least 5 pounds were eligible to vote Consequently only 1 404 out of an Indo Fijians population of 75 000 were registered to vote James Ramchandar Rao contested the Eastern Indian Division 2 which included the islands of Vanua Levu and the Lau and Lomaiviti Group of Islands His opponent was Khalil Sahim There were 101 registered electors in the constituency of whom 63 voted for Rao 20 for Sahim and 5 spoilt their ballot paperTwo weeks after being sworn in he together with the other two Indo Fijians representatives resigned when a motion asking for equal political rights for Indo Fijians was defeated Rao was the proprietor of one of the first picture theatres in Fiji in the old capital of Levuka on the island of Ovalau 3 References edit Ali Ahmed 1980 Plantation to politics Fiji University of the South Pacific p 115 Fiji Elections Archive Elections for the Legislative Council Eastern Division 1929 1959 Archived from the original on 2009 10 25 Sharma Guru Dayal 1987 Memories of Fiji 1887 1987 Guru Dayal Sharma Suva Fiji p 96 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Ramchandar Rao amp oldid 1184629255, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
