813 polling sites to stay shut on election day

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Interior on Tuesday said 813 polling sites would stay shut in various parts of the country due to insecurity and other reasons, citing final assessments.

Gen. Salim Ihsas, who heads MoI’s commission on election security, told reporters that Afghan security forces had finalised their assessment reports about election security.

Based on these assessments submitted to the Independent Election Commission (IEC), he said about 6,356 polling sites would be open and 813 others remain closed due to security threats and transportation problems.

He said most of the polling sites to be closed were situated in Badghis, Ghor, Farah, Herat, Ghazni, Helmand, Kunar, Nuristan, Jwazjan, Sar-i-Pul and Badakhshan province.

He said some border districts in Nangarhar, Kunar, some areas in Helmand, Faryab and Badakhshan faced high security threats which could hamper the election process.

Previously, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) has said that based on assessments by security organs about 6,400 polling sites would be open on the election day, when 183 sites would stay shut due high security threats.

While, the Council of Ministers said joint assessments by security forces, electoral bodies, provincial governors and tribal elders showed about 906 polling sites would be closed on the Election Day.

Gen. Ihsas said Afghan security forces were working in close coordination with the election commission under a proper and responsive security plan to deal with security challenges.

He said all sensitive election materials had been transferred to polling stations in provincial capitals and would be reaching districts until late on Tuesday.   

Meanwhile, MoI spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said Afghan security forces were fully prepared to protect the runoff election. 

mrh/ma

Visits: 0