Suva - Police in Fiji yesterday stepped up security as Mr Mahendra Chaudhry, the former prime minister ousted in last year's coup, looked poised to win a mandate to return to office.
Mr Chaudhry was facing an intense last-minute drive to block his return to power. Senior diplomatic sources are predicting confusion with no clear picture of the outcome of the week-long elections.
A week of polling ends this evening and counting will begin on Monday to produce a 71-seat Parliament, restoring democracy lost last May when rebel leader, Mr George Speight, and special forces soldiers held Mr Chaudhry and his government hostage for 56 days.
Mr Speight and two other men awaiting trial on treason charges are expected to win seats.