Over 2.5-million citizens have registered to vote since the start of the census operations on June 20, as referred by the Independent Electoral Commission of Kinshasa. Also specifying that the aim is to register all voters of the capital, 3.5-million people on a population of 6,8-m, by the beginning of August. All the main parties have launched appeals to the Congolese to register in the apposite offices; the only exception being the main opposition UDPS (Union for Democracy and Social Progress), which called for a boycott of the elections in protest against the extension of the current Congolese transition government. The registration of voters is the first step of a process that, based on the new Constitution, should bring by 2006 to the first democratic general elections in 40 years of history of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The appointment at the polls, initially set for June 30, has for the moment been postponed by 6 months, but is likely to be further delayed.