Wellington  - Fiji's military rulers, who are governing under emergency laws since the Court of Appeal declared the government illegal last month, have cancelled the annual conference of the island state's biggest and most influential religious group, the Methodist Church, according to reports from the capital Suva on Sunday.

A joint statement by the military and police said the two week conference scheduled for August had been called off because "inciteful issues are going to be discussed", the independent Fijilive news website reported.

It said the Methodist Church was the predominant denomination of Fiji's indigenous population and was closely aligned to the government of Laisenia Qarase, who was ousted in a bloodless coup by the military chief, Commander Voreqe Bainimarama, in December 2006.

Earlier this month, police arrested a former Methodist Church president, the Reverend Manasa Lasaro, after he used a sermon to call for peaceful protests to restore democracy.

The constitution was revoked and all the country's judges were sacked when emergency regulations were brought in after the Court of Appeal declared the Bainimarama administration illegal.

The Fijivillage news website said the military maintained the Methodist Church Conference had been cancelled to protect the rule of law and maintain stability for every race in the country.

Bainimarama has said he will not hold fresh elections until September 2014 after changing the electoral system to give equal voting rights to the ethnic Indian minority and the indigenous Fijian population. (dpa)