IEC Finalizes Program for 6775 Active Polling Booths

KABUL: (MEP) – Based on the plan made by the Independent Election Commission (IEC), 6775 polling centers would be open on the Election Day, while 396 centers are likely to remain close due to security risks. In addition, there would be 21603 certified voting sites.

IEC has declared that if the security institutions come up with a new list of polling stations, IEC would not be able to change its plan. One of the reasons for the lack of flexibility is to ensure a timely election.

“The list of polling centers and election sites has been finalized. The commission has sent the election material along with well-trained employees to these sites,” IEC Secretariat Chief Ziaul Haq Amarkhail said. “We have 6775 polling booths and 21603 voting sites across Afghanistan. This list is final and unchangeable. There are 396 centers where we do not intend to transfer the election material because of security concerns.”

Meanwhile, the Afghan Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said that the security forces are undertaking operations in areas where security threats have increased. MoI added that there are still concerns about some of the polling booths throughout the country.

“We have added more centers over the past four weeks and we have shared the list with IEC,” MoI spokesman Sediq Sediqi said. “We hope that the election commission dispatch election materials to these centers. This is very important and will increase the number of voters.”

According to the election commission, IEC’s programs move forward on the basis of a timely schedule, maintaining that the essential election materials were ready to be dispatched to provinces 20-25 days before the elections.