MPs accuse Ghani over middling in elections

KABUL or lower house members on Monday expressed concern over attachment of stickers on voters’ Tazkiras (identity cards), saying the president, who was expected to prevent fraud in elections, was interfering in polls.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has recently announced that it decided to attach voter stickers on copy of voters’ Tazkiraz instead of the original one following public complaints.

Most of the lawmakers in today’s session of the Wolesi Jirga criticized the IEC and the government for the decision, saying the move paved the ground for serious fraud in the elections.

Sadeqizada Nili, a lawmaker from central Daikundi province, said using copy of Tazkiras and attachment of voter stickers on them was an illogical move and would create crisis.

He said that the ground for fraud was opened in the beginning of the elections by allowing copies of voters’ Tazkiras used as original in the voter registration process.

Khalilullah Shahidzada, a lwamker from western Herat province, said, “Using copies of Tazkiras and attachment of voter stickers on them would pave the ground for rigging,”

He asked the IEC and the government to rethink about their decision and do not lose the public trust which has already weak on the democratic process.

Meanwhile, Abdur Raouf Ibrahimi, the Wolesi Jirga speaker, also said that using copies of Tazkiras in the voter registration process was paving the ground for fraud in elections.

He said the government should make decisions that can ensure transparency in elections win people’s trust on polls.

 He agreed that some people complained about security threats in the voter registration process, but said the IEC decision could not be a good alternative as it can pave the ground for fraud in elections.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah also opposed attachment of voter stickers on the copy of voters’ Tazkiras and said that the move had legal and technical problems.

mds