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A re-commencement of process using biometric system proposed
AT News Report-KABUL: Amid perpetuation of pre-election tensions, prominent leaders of political parties and alliances heaped scorns on a “rigged and inappropriate” voter registration process, seeking a recommencement of registration with the use of biometric-based system.
In a meeting in Kabul on Saturday, leaders of major political parties stressed that transparency in upcoming election will be ensured solely by changing the current Single-Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) system to Multi-Dimensional Representation (MDR).
Prominent political figures including Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the head of Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan, Salahuddin Hekmatyar, head of the Jamiat-i-Islami, Mohammad Mohaqiqi, head of the Wahdat-i-Islami, YounisQanoni, representative of the Herasat and Subat front, Bator Dostum, head of the JumbeshMelli, Syed Hamid Gilani, head of Mahaz-i-Melli, Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi, head of Jabha-i-Nawin, Asadullah Saadati, head of Wahdat-i-Islami Afghanistan and Zarar Ahmad Muqbel, representative of Hamid Karzai attended the meeting.
“We the political parties, movements and national figures consider the current registration process as incomplete and a tool to pave the way for corruption and crisis due to the lack of inaccurate calculation and unprofessional implementation and called on the government and Independent Election Commission (IEC) not to waste the precious time of the nation and tens of millions of dollars.”
The political leaders urged the government and IEC to terminate the process and to re-start it using biometric technology to ensure transparency and rigging-free elections credible to all parties.
They also emphasized on changing the system from SNTV to MDR, saying in a multidimensional electoral system, for all residents of Afghanistan including refugees, internally displaced people those who were in insecure areas.
“We once again emphasize over establishment of political parties’ monitoring institutions in order to monitor the process of elections and no decision and action of the IEC will be carried out without the supervision of the parties.”
Political parties warned: “If the government, IEC and international community do not accept their demands and continue their defective process, we consider it a crisis for Afghanistan.”
