As Sudan's general elections, slated for April this year, are approaching, the election authorities in Darfur are confident that the electoral process in the region would carry on smoothly.

"All arrangements have been finalized to organize the elections as scheduled. Everything is progressing satisfactorily," Head of the Elections Committee in North Darfur State, al-Sir al-Meck told Xinhua Friday.

He said all technical, administrative and logistical arrangements for the voting process have been completed in all parts of the state, adding that "the committee has received all assisting materials and trained the concerned cadres. The committee is arranging to send all the electoral materials to the different voting centers."

Despite the calls by some political parties to postpone the elections in Darfur until the peace process in the region is completed, observers believe that the elections can be held in Darfur due to the great improvement in the security conditions there.

"There is a state of stability in most of the Darfur areas and it is possible to hold the elections in the region," Adam Ismail, a political analyst in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State, told Xinhua.

The registered voters amounted to 691,871 in all parts of the state, according to al-Meck.