IECC asks IEC to address electoral teams’ concerns

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) on Wednesday said it might have legal reservations about 300,000 votes and would explain its point of view in this regard after announcement of the preliminary election result.

Mohammad Raza Fayaz, IECC deputy spokesperson, told Pajhwok Afghan News possibly some complaints had been registered about some categories of the 300,000 votes or the IECC could have its own legal reservations related to these votes.

He said:   “The IECC is currently conducting its inspection of different categories of the 300,000 votes on which there is a difference of opinion.”

He added the Commission will explain its point of view after announcement of preliminary result.

He said the fact that the 300,000 votes did not fall under a single category but were divided into different categories, so it would not be fair to call them all controversial votes.

“We want the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to complete the audit and recount process as soon as possible and announce the preliminary results,” he said.

Fayaz asked the IEC to address concerns of election teams through transparency and provision of legal documents and move the election process on its right track.

The deputy spokesperson said announcement of partial result was not a right move legally, adding that under the law, partial results could be announced between the elections and the due date for announcement of the preliminary results.

Earlier, another IECC Deputy Spokesperson Zarmina Haqjo Kakar during an interview with a local newspaper, said that election related information provided by the IEC were not satisfactory. He said the IEC committed violations and announcement of partial preliminary result was not acceptable to them.

Regarding election teams complaints over 300,000 controversial votes, she said the IECC was evaluating complaints in this regard and the commission was committed to announcing its stance in two or three days.

Haqjo told Pajhwok Afghan News her comments during an interview with a local newspaper were taken out of context and presented in wrong way.

She said it was IECC previous stance, adding the current IECC view is different which will be shared with media after the Commission completes its evaluation and inspection of complaints. 

She said according to the law the time of complaints registration is the Election Day and another opportunity for complaints registration is after announcement of preliminary results.

She said the issue of 300,000 votes was serious, so the Commission noticed it exceptionally and was being evaluated. The IECC will share its final input on 300,000 votes in line with election rules and regulations when its evaluation process is over.

The presidential election was held on September 28. Earlier the IEC had given October 19 the date for announcement of preliminary result while November 7 for announcement of final result of the presidential election.
But due to some technical issues and problems during separation of clean and fraudulent votes, the IEC could not announce the result on its due date.
On October 27, the IEC said primary result of the presidential election would be announced on November 14, but the commission again delayed it for an indefinite time.

Azizullah Hamdard

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