Hargeysa, Somaliland , November 15, 2008 (SL Times) – The National Electoral Commission is not sure yet when the voter registration programme will resume. The voter registration was suspended for a period of 10 days following the 3 terrorist attacks that hit targets in Somaliland 's capital city Hargeysa on October 29. The halting of the exercise was prompted by the evacuation of the international consultants who were assisting the NEC in the implementation of the registration following the terrorist attacks. The voter-registration program was originally scheduled to start in the Hargeysa region on Nov 3 rd . It was supposed to resume on last Thursday.

According to sources closer to the NEC, the voter-registration couldn't be restarted due to the Indian government's decision not to allow a number of Indian experts who working with the NEC to return to Somaliland for security reasons. An Indian company called ECIL was hired by the NEC to provide software for electronic registration. While international NGO Inter-peace was assigned to liaise between the NEC and donors. The INGO also acted as the NEC's contracting authority.

However while Inter-peace is reported to have excepted sending its staff back to Somaliland, the Indian company has so far not given any green light for the return of its technicians to this country.