KABUL: (MEP) – The Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) on Wednesday said that this year’s presidential and provincial councils election were less fraudulent than 2009.
Chief Executive of FEFA, Jandad Spinghar, while sharing observation of the forum, said that Saturday’s presidential and provincial councils’ elections were more transparent and credible comparing to the 2009 and 2010 elections.
He said voters including women on large-scale took active part in the electoral process and increased credibility of the elections for national and international organizations. “Despite the deadly threats to the lives of participants and climate problems, millions of eligible people cast their votes to choose their future leader,” Spinghar said.
The much feared elections were observed by thousands of local and foreign observers as part of the efforts to prevent possible fraud and electoral violations by the opportunists, he noted. While praising women’s massive participation in the national process, he said female voters played significant role in cities and villages.
Spinghar while appreciating efforts of the Afghan security forces said that security measures were much better in this year’s election as the destructive elements were kept away and were not allowed to disrupt the polls.
He said, “On the polling day around 9,500 FEFA observers monitored the process in the country. Out of the 11,000 registered complaints we gathered only 2,600 were credible and shared with the Independent Electoral Compliant Commission.”
Problem with ink was registered in 259 polling sites while around 759 sites were run out of ballot papers on the polling day. In 966 stations, candidates’ agents were illegally encouraging voters to vote for their candidates. Delay in opening of the centers was also a problem, reported in dozens of centers, he mentioned.
Chief of the FEFA went on saying that security problems and other challenges had forced officials to keep around 430 centers closed on the Election Day. He said in 507 polling stations men had cast votes on behalf of their female family members while 998 cases of voting by under-18 years old were also registered. In 141 stations ballot boxes were filled with fake votes for specific candidates by opportunists.
He suggested that the vote counting and complaint handling process must be open for observers and media men to let the people know about transparency of the counting and assessment process.
