Govt officials backing candidates: IEC

KABUL) on Sunday accused senior officials, including ministers, governors and police chiefs, of backing particulars presidential and provincial candidates.

The government servants, including some district chiefs, were involved in the illegitimate practice and could lose their jobs, IEC head Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani warned. 

At a press conference, he said the top electoral body had received reports regarding the involvement of senior officials. Without naming any individual, Nuristani said: “If we find proof of election law violations at any polling stations, we will stop transporting election materials there.”

But the Ministry of Interior (MoI) announced transporting election materials to 368 districts without any security threat. The materials included ballot papers, ballot boxes, ink, pens, candidate posters and other items.

Nuristani said 4,748 polling stations would open for voters on April 5 across the country. “Insecurity in some areas is still a source of concern. Elections are a national process. All people are duty-bound to inform the government if they see any violation of the law.”

Presidential and provincial council runners should send their representatives to the IEC office to receive credential letters so that local and international observers could oversee election affairs till March 29.

Meanwhile, IEC showcased public awareness materials with billboards, photos of voting process, magazines and other items. IEC Secretary Ziaul Haq Amarkhel said the programme would help create awareness among the people.

The commission has provided 150 audio messages aired by radio stations, 25 video messages on TV channels, installed 850 billboards and displayed 10,000 posters as part of the public awareness programme.

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