There is concern in Papua New Guinea that delaying the census for another year could have damaging ramnifications to the legitimacy of electoral rolls and voting in the next election.
The census director Kit Ronga has told the newspaper, The National, that the planned 2010 housing and population census must be deferred because of logistical problems.
Mr Ronga says the provinces are not ready and the census should be conducted in July 2011.
The director of PNG's Institute of National Affairs, Paul Barker, says delaying the census adds more worry that PNG will not run free and fair elections.
