Jakarta – Security concerns led the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the government to cancel the elections in the Pidie and North Aceh regencies of Aceh.

KPU chairman Rudini said here on Monday the decision was made after taking into account escalating tension in the regencies and the possible risks if elections went ahead there.

"The government, KPU and the National Elections Committee (PPI) agreed in a Saturday meeting to cancel polls in the two troubled regencies after consulting with the provincial elections committee," Rudini said.

The two regencies had been given from June 19 to June 27 to hold elections after the June 7 polls were postponed. The General Election Law allows polls to be delayed for 30 days in problematic areas.

The deputy chairman of PPI and an Aceh native, Hasbalah M. Saad, agreed with the decision, saying escalating violence in the two regencies had made it impossible for the regional elections committees to hold the polls.

"Many Aceh people, party activists and local elections committee members were killed or intimidated by the separatist Free Aceh Movement, who never stopped their attempts to stop the elections," Hasballah said.

A total of 12 seats in the House of Representatives and 49 seats in the provincial legislative council were on offer in the June 7 elections in the province.

Hasballah said despite the cancellation of the polls, the two regencies would be allocated seats in the House and the provincial legislature.

Members of the local legislatures in the two regencies will be elected through elections which will be held simultaneously, according to Hasballah.