Polls rigged in Nangarhar’s Dara-i-Noor: Candidates

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Some Wolesi Jirga candidates on Tuesday rejected the elections in Dara-i-Noor district of eastern Nangarhar province, saying people were forced by powerful men into voting for candidates of their choice.

They claimed having evidence and videos in support of their claims that certain candidates used force and coerced people into voting for them and broke biometric devices.

Addressing a joint press conference here, Wolesi Jirga candidates Zabet Amir Mohammad Dara Noori and Malak Qais Noor Agha Malakzai shared videos which show votes are cast in unfair way.

Amir Mohammad said some candidates used force and committed fraud and violated transparency in casting votes.

He said armed individuals smashed biometric devices in some polling stations and beat public as well.

Noor Afgha, another candidate, said they have photos, videos and other proofs that show powerful individual forced people into voting for them.

He said all these videos and evidence had been shared with the Independent Election Complaints Commission (IECC) and demanded elections in Dara-i-Noor district be invalidated.

The IECC in Nangarhar said some candidates fearing defeat began an unfair campaign against the elections to change people’s minds regarding the polls.

IECC head Shekab Kamjoh said questioned why the protesting candidates did not complain regarding the use of force at the time.

He said 700 complains had been registered with the IECC in Nangarhar so far and the complaints included those from Dara-i-Noor district.

Kamjoh assured all complaints would be reviewed and addressed in accordance with the law.

Last Saturday and Sunday, the Wolesi Jirga elections were conducted nation-wide except southern Kandahar and Ghazni provinces.

The names of many voters were missing from voter lists in many provinces including Nangarhar and many voters returned home without casting their vote.

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