The money available to prepare and run next year's national election in Papua New Guinea has been cut to one third the previous amount.
The Papua New Guinea parliament Photo: AFP/Ness Kerton
The Chief Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said there is just $US19.8 million available for the national, regional and local government polls.
He made the revelation at the start of a roll updating exercise at Irupara village in the Rigo district of Central Province.
The Post Courier reports he did not elaborate on why the budget has been slashed.
Mr Gamato told the crowd that each ward will have five to seven days to register and update names on the roll and the plan is to complete the update process by January.
The election is due in June.