Committee Established to Probe Electoral Irregularities: Sayyad
The chairman of the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) Abdul Badi Sayyad on Monday said that a committee was established to probe the electoral irregularities.
The chairman of the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) Abdul Badi Sayyad on Monday said that a committee was established to probe the electoral irregularities.
“The committee will probe all irregularities reported including voter list problems, the fact many polling stations did not open, the problems around the biometric system and that if people are found to have been negligent they will be prosecuted,” he said.
“The commission will investigate and punish perpetrators involved in violations on the day of elections. The commission will also probe fraud and claims of vote-rigging,”
The election commission is also working with electoral complaints commission about fraud and violations and necessary measures will be taken in line with the law,” Sayyad added.
He also said the commission would meet to discuss reports that biometric devices were not used in some areas.
He said that women’s participation in elections had been around 33 percent.
Meanwhile, the political parties called on the IEC during a press conference that ballots without biometric registration should be declared invalid in order to ensure the transparency of the election.
The IEC’s chief Sayyad said that we will hold a meeting with the political parties in this regard and will make a new decision.
Figures by the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) show that 5,333 complaints were lodged with the commission on the first day of parliamentary elections.
Sayyad said 4,640 election centers opened on Saturday and Sunday and currently, the ballot boxes are being transferred to Kabul.
