Holding Elections with Current Commission Not Acceptable to any Side: Mahmoodi
Sayed Alireza Mahmoodi, the chairman of “National Consensus and Change” leadership council has recently said that holding the presidential elections with the current commission will not be acceptable for any side in the Afghan community.
Sayed Alireza Mahmoodi, the chairman of “National Consensus and Change” leadership council has recently said that holding the presidential elections with the current commission will not be acceptable for any side in the Afghan community.
Speaking about the electoral tickets, NUG records, the election commission and its structure with a media outlet, he said: “with these commissioners and with this structure, you cannot hold an election which will be acceptable for the people of Afghanistan”.
Mr Mahmoodi blamed the leaders of National Unity Government (NUG) for the electoral commissions’ imprudence, saying that both leaders of the NUG were involved in selecting commissioners.
“The leaders of the NUG have had a role in appointing the members of the electoral commissions and are involved with the imprudence of the electoral commissions. Now, they blame the commissions, who appointed the members of the election commissions? The government must be accountable,” he said.
Criticizing the works of the NUG within the past four and half years, Mr Mahmoodi added: “none of the issues agreed in establishing the NUG through a political agreement were fulfilled … the government, unfortunately, failed to carry out its commitments, via democratic processes, given to both the International Community and the people of Afghanistan. according to the agreement, in two years, they had to hold Loya Jirga and change the structure of the system, but it wasn’t done.”
Speaking about the formation of electoral tickets for the 2019 presidential elections due to be held in July, he said: “many of the current electoral tickets were formed because of the dissatisfaction with the leaders of the NUG and that the political force of the country has been scattered.”
According to him, billions of dollars have been thrown into the country but the election commission is still in Pul-e Charkhi hangars and does not have a suitable place; because the political system of the country does not believe in building the structure.
“It has deliberately left the commission this way to have an influence on the votes and works of the electoral commissions,”
“There are speculations about the formation of an interim government to hold the elections due to the lack of credibility of the electoral commissions and lack of trust in the government,” he added.
In spite of these, all political sides insist on reform with the electoral system, but whether fundamental changes will come up with this system, is a question that can only be answered by the elapse of time.
