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KABUL: The Rana Think Tank monthly participations believe that Afghanistan has once again at verge of electoral deadlock, which is not good for the country. The experts and political pundits said that Independent Election Commission (IEC) should remain independent and keep impartiality in a bid to avoid electoral crisis.
The experts insisted over independency and impartiality of the electoral bodies, asking IEC to operate based on regulations. Recently a number of candidates, including Dr. Abdullah, Hekmatyar and Nabil have voiced objections over 300,000 votes and over 2400 sites, blaming the IEC for ignoring demands of the presidential candidates to sort-out disputed votes.
Former Head of Secretariat of IEC, Dawood Ali Najafi and the keynote speaker of Rana Think Tank, said that IEC should announce the election result through clean votes, and prevent election crisis ignited in the past.
“IEC should have strictly follow laws and regulations and do not obey illegal commands of the foreigners.”
While hinting to candidates objection over 300,000 votes and 2,400 sites, he said that based on the law each candidates and observers have the right to seek explanation about doubted votes.
Criticizing late reforms in electoral bodies, he said the National Unity Government (NUG) should have brought reforms in the system rather than changing the staffers.
“Hiring or firing of figures won’t address any issues, if the system is not standardized.”
Other political pundits have hinted toward low turnout in September 28th presidential election, saying frail trust over election, security threat and some other challenges, were main factors behind less participation of the people.
It is pertained mentioning that three major presidential candidates have boycotted recounting process and asked the IEC to explain about those votes that they have objection.
A number of tribal elders and supporters of presidential hopeful, Abdullah Abdullah have warned that they would stand against the IEC if the corrupted votes were not separate from cleaned.
In a gathering has been held by the “Stability and Convergence”, electoral team led by chief executive Abdullah, the participants said that they would not allow the IEC to legalize the fraudulent votes.
Similarly, Hekmatyar and Nabil time and again said none-biometric votes will not be accepted.
Amid related electoral tension and concern, the IEC failed to announce the preliminary result of 28th September presidential election on due time and postponed it twice.
According to schedule, the IEC had set 19th October for announcing the preliminary result of presidential election, but it failed and postponed it for 14th November – and IEC did not say when they will announce the preliminary result as 51 days have gone since Election Day.
