Counting for the Eastern Highlands is within target and is expected to be completed with declarations to be made this week.
Despite being the last highlands province for the polling, and being given only nine days to count by the Electoral Commission, they were able to complete it within given period but an extension may be needed.
The Eastern Highlands Election Manager Alwynn Jimmy said they manage to complete primary counts within seven days and gone into quality checks and elimination processes.
Those into quality checks and elimination process are Henganofi, Daulo and Ungai Bena with the others in Kainantu, Obura Wanenara, Lufa, Goroka and Daulo, as well as the provincial seat.
Mr Jimmy said the counting could have been done better but there were hold ups which they manage to address them and proceed on.
He said being able to count within a space of seven days with 1392 boxes for the eight electorates was a big achievement for them.
Eastern highlands is the only highlands province that had their provincial seats separate from open electorates during polling and counting. This is to prevent hold ups with the provincial seat counting, said Jimmy.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Police Commander for Eastern Highlands Province Superintendent John Phillip Kale was happy with the progress of the counting in Goroka.
He said so far there were not major incidences regarding the elections as all the candidates, supporters and the general public are observing and calm about the counting process.
