PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said the nation would go to the polls in June as planned, despite a parliamentary vote for a six-month delay.
Lawmakers last week voted to push back national elections due to incomplete electoral rolls and security concerns, prompting warnings from neighbouring Australia, the impoverished Pacific nation's major aid donor.
O'Neill initially supported the move but has since backtracked, declaring that parliament had been incorrectly briefed and that he wanted the elections to remain on track.
"Let me assure the nation that, except for the date for the issue of the writs, the 2012 elections will go ahead as scheduled by the electoral commissioner," O'Neill said in a statement quoted Monday by Australia's AAP news agency.
He proposed the issuing of electoral writs be delayed a month, arguing voters needed more time to inspect the rolls.
Electoral commissioner Andrew Trawen earlier Monday said he intended to push for the original June election date.
"I will proceed to advise the Governor General Sir Michael Ogio to issue writs for the 2012 elections as scheduled on 27th April, 2012," Trawen said in a statement.
"And I want the people of PNG to know that I have always maintained that the commission is prepared and the 2012 elections will go ahead as planned."
Trawen said preparations for the polls, due to commence on June 23, were on track and the commission was doing its best to address the electoral roll concerns, as well as pushing for more funding.
"I must assure voters nationwide that names of as many eligible citizens as possible will be shown on the final rolls that will be used for polling," Trawen said.
He added that the electoral commission was "confident of finalising the electoral rolls on time and successfully delivering a free, fair and safe election in June."
Trawen described the vote, which follows a period of intense uncertainty over the country's leadership that triggered a constitutional crisis and failed military rebellion, as "the most crucial elections in the history of PNG."
Trawen said the police and military had indicated they were ready to proceed in June with the ballot, which will require aircraft and other assistance to distribute and secure papers across the mountainous and rugged landscape.