PC runners want final results declared forthwith

KABUL (Pajhwok): Declared winners in preliminary results, a number of provincial council (PC) candidates on Monday called for the final results to be announced soon.

They opposed holding two elections simultaneously and asked the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to avoid it in future.

Provincial council and the first round of presidential elections were held simultaneously on April 5.

As the first round of the presidential vote did not produce a clear winner, a runoff was called. But the runoff election was marred by allegations of large scale rigging, making it impossible for the IEC to announce results.

Finally, final results from the runoff presidential election were announced on September 21, but final tallies from the provincial council are yet to be announced. Preliminary results from the provincial elections were announced on May 20.

Addressing a press conference in Kabul, 20 winning provincial council runners criticised delays in announcing final results from the April polls.

Rafiullah Gul Afghan, a sitting upper house member and provincial council candidate, said: “The provincial council elections had been a victim of the presidential elections thrice. Simultaneous conduct of two elections should be avoided in future.”

He asked the electoral bodies and the new government to announce final results as soon as possible to end the concerns of runners and their supporters.

Gul Afghan stressed fraud and rigging instances should be addressed and the president and the chief executive officer should fulfill what promises they had held out to the people about their rights.

Khatera Ishaqzai, a female provincial council candidate from Kabul, also demanded a prompt announcement of the final results and said the electoral commissions should respect people’s votes.

The prolonged delay had eroded people’s trust in the electoral commissions and the democratic process, she added.

She also criticised conducting two elections at the same time and said: “Under the Constitution, presidential and provincial elections results should be announced at the same time, the new government took office a month ago but the results are yet to be announced.”

Abdul Rahman Hotaki, the Independent Election Commission deputy head, on Sunday said final results from the provincial council elections would be announced soon.

He cited technical problems as a reason for the delay in announcing final results, and added both the electoral commissions were jointly working to complete the process.

ra/ma

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