IECC officers asked to show integrity

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) chief on Tuesday asked provincial chiefs to discharge their duties efficiently or face stern action.

Speaking after an oath-taking ceremony, IECC Chairman Abdul Sattar Sadat said the newly inducted commissioners would be deployed to the provinces within a week.

As many as 102 commissioners took oath, with three officers being deployed to each province. The constitutional duty of the IECC is to address complaints against elections runners and commission members.

Sadat directed the officers to work without any favour or fear. The commissioners, he acknowledged, were facing multiple challenges and pressures.

“A commissioner’s fault is not a judge’s fault that affects a single individual or a family; his error leaves a negative impact on the entire population. History will not pardon a commissioner who deliberately favours a particular contender,” he remarked.

The two-month presidential election campaign started two weeks ago, but people long been demanding the opening of IECC provincial offices.

IEC head Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani announced all-out support to the newly-appointed commissioners and said: “We will extend all possible cooperation to IECC commissioners.”

Speaking on the occasion, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Jan Kubis said it was a matter of satisfaction that Afghanistan was heading toward landmark elections.

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