Karzai appoints 5-member electoral watchdog

KABUL): President Hamid Karzai on Monday appointed five of the 15 individuals recommended to him as members of the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC).

On Sept. 11, the selection committee recommended 15 of the 263 short-listed applicants to president today. The nominees included three females, five Pashtuns, four Tajiks, two Uzbeks, three Hazaras and one Turkmen.

The Office of Administrative Affairs said President Hamid Karzai had appointed Abdul Sattar Sadat, Reda Azimi, Nadir Mohseni, Azizullah Aryafar and Paighambar Qul Doghan as members of the electoral watchdog.

In mid-July, a joint commission of both houses of the parliament approved a new election law, envisaging the creation of the selection committee to introduce IECC and IEC members to the president.

The committee includes parliamentary speakers, the chief justice, civil society representatives, human rights campaigners and other top-ranking officials.

A statement from the Office of Administrative Affairs said the appointments had been made in line with Article 156 of the Constitution.

Under the relevant law, the commissioners will have to elect at their first meeting the IECC chief, deputy head and secretary before embarking on their assignment in compliance with the Constitution.

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