TEFA calls for election panels’ neutrality

KABUL (TEFA) on Friday urged the two electoral bodies to maintain neutrality and monitor the performance of their local staff.

Mohammad Naeem Ayubzada, the TEFA chief, told a press conference in Kabul that thousands of IEC workers had been blacklisted for involvement in fraud in the first round of the elections.

However, he alleged, some of the blacklisted staffers had been hired again on a temporary basis, he deplored, saying TEFA was all poised to monitor the voting process.

On the other hand, Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor has said over 3,000 employees of the commission had been suspended and some of them introduced to judiciary organs.

Ayubzada insisted the electoral commissions should carefully monitor their local staff in the provinces. He also urged all Afghans to vote and monitor the election to ensure its transparency.

He acknowledged the high voter turnout in the first round of the presidential elections on April 5 had helped curb attempts at fraud and contributed to the fairness of the process.

The TEFA chief urged all citizens to participate in Saturday’s polls, saying wider participation of people would help ensure integrity of the crucial vote.

He said the watchdog would monitor the polls in partnership with 38 civil society, have been trained in 34 provinces to oversee the election process.

All government functionaries, including security officials, must comply with the presidential decree for avoiding interference in the election, he stressed, urging the candidates to ask their supporters to refrain from fraud.

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