The National Election Committee is scheduled to conduct its annual voter registration update, including the registration of new voters and the update of voter lists, this October. But civil society groups say the NEC effort will do little to contain irregularities that have marred Cambodian elections in recent years.

Tep Nytha, secretary general of the NEC, said commune councillors will be in charge of conducting voter registration among their own constituents from October 1 to October 20, before submitting their information to the NEC for processing. Commune councillors are also responsible for updating voter lists, adding new residents and removing those that have died, moved away or are listed more than once.

The NEC plans to hire temporary staff, Tep Nytha added, to enter the voter information into a computerised database the committee hopes will be finished by December.

Koul Panha, executive director of Comfrel, said Monday that the NEC "lacks the political will" to pursue thorough reforms.