Commonwealth observers pledge fair assessment of PNG polls

6:34 am on 22 June 2017
The chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Sir Anand Satyanand.

The chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Sir Anand Satyanand. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Johnny Blades

The chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group dispatched to monitor Papua New Guinea's election has promised his team will be alert to inconsistencies or malpractices.

As his group prepared to take to the field, Sir Anand Satyanand said the arrival and dispatch of the ballot papers had been explained to the Commonwealth Group by the Australian High Commissioner.

But according to him, they have not observed the dispatch themselves.

Pledging an objective and impartial assessment of the poll, Sir Anand said the Group cannot forecast whether this would be a clean election.

"I can only offer the idea that the visible presences of the Commonwealth will be noticed to the people of this country to candidates, to the government, that an objective oversight of what is happening is being undertaken," he said.

A number of candidates have claimed that the election was likely to be rigged as millions of ballot papers have been taken away from the Electoral Commission's control.

The two-week polling period begins next Monday.