KINSHASA, 15 Apr 2005 (IRIN) - The Democratic Republic of Congo's Independent Electoral Commission announced on Friday that voter registration would only begin in early June, making it likely that the elections will not take place as scheduled.

The elections were set for June in accordance with a 2003 peace agreement signed by Congolese parties to officially end years of armed conflict.

The head of the commission, Apollinaire Muholongu Malumalu, would not confirm that the voter registration would make general elections in June impossible.

Several people were killed and others injured in a demonstration in the capital, Kinshasa, in January after Muholongu raised the possibility that elections may not take place until October or November.

"The materials for the registration process will be tested at the end April, after that we should be able to undertake this immense operation," Muholongu said in January.