Libya's constituent assembly elections, which were originally scheduled for 19 June, have been delayed for three weeks and will now take place on 7 July.

The head of the High National Election Commission (HNEC), Nuri Elabbar, made the announcement on 10 June and said the decision was taken after a meeting with Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC), the body tasked with supervising the overall move towards an elected government.

The postponement was widely expected and, according to Elabbar, was caused by delays in processing new legislation for the elections. Other technical and logistical issues are also understood to have pushed back the poll.

Some 2.7 million Libyans - approximately 80% of the total electorate - have registered to vote. The elections will appoint a 200-member constituent assembly, with 120 seats reserved for independent candidates and 80 for political parties.

The assembly will be responsible for drafting a new constitution for Libya, and for paving the way towards full legislative elections in 2013.