KABUL): Voter registration centres could not be opened in a dozen of districts as part of the second round of the campaign for the April 5 presidential and provincial council elections due to security concerns, an official said on Monday.
First phase of the nationwide exercise began on May 24 in capitals of all the 34 provinces and the second phase started in July at district level. So far 300,000 people have been registered.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman, Noor Mohammad Noor, told Pajhwok Afghan News that a total of 399 voter registration centres were to be opened in the second round, but the number had been reduced to 387.
He said the election commission had requested the Ministry of Interior to ensure security for voter registration centres during their inauguration, adding the government’s writ did not prevail in four districts of three provinces, where the opening of voter centres had no chance.
He named the troubled districts as Kakar in southern Zabul, Desho and Baghran in Helmand and Nawa in Ghazni.
However, he said if security for the mentioned areas was assured, the IEC was ready to open voter registration centre there.
He also said materials needed for voter registration could not be dispatched to Zankhan district in Ghazni, Wama, Mandol and Kamdesh in eastern Nuristan, Chapa Dara district in Kunar and Giyan in Paktika due to security threats.
But the materials were being sent to the Ala Saee district of central Kapisa and Khogyani district of Ghazni, where voter registration centres would be opened soon, he said.
Noor said talks between the interior ministry and the IEC were in place on security related issues in the mentioned areas.
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