Update: 12:39PM THE functions of the President will be performed by the Chief Justice if the President is absent from duty or is unable to perform the functions of the President.
This is included in the draft constitution released by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday.
It also says that in the absence of the Chief Justice, the next senior most substantive judge shall perform the duty of the President.
The draft law stated that in the exercise of his or her powers and executive authority, the President acts only on the advice of Cabinet or a minister or some other body or authority prescribed by the Constitution.
Candidates for the office of the President under the draft constitution must be persons who have had a distinguished career in any aspect of national or international life, whether in the public or private sector; hold only a Fijian citizenship; not be a member of, or hold any office in, any political party; not hold any other public office; not be a candidate for election to any other office in the State; and not have been subject to a sentence of imprisonment for an offence at any time during the five years immediately before being nominated.