IEC to expose officials interfering in polls

KABUL) on Tuesday urged President Hamid Karzai to initiate action against government officials interfering in electoral affairs and warned to expose such individuals.

IEC Spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor told Pajhwok Afghan News they had shared with the Presidential Palace documents proving government officials’ interference in the elections, due on April 5.

“My request to the government is that it should look into the documents and remove or suspend the officials having acted against the election law,” Noor said.

Without naming any officials accused of meddling in the election affairs, he said the IEC would reveal names of the accused to the media if the president did not take action against them.

He said the commission would not remain quite if government officials continued violating the electoral law, asking people to help the panel prevent officials from interfering in the election process.

“No one can to use government’s resources for or against any presidential or provincial council candidate because this denies a level-playing field for runners,” Noor said.

A day earlier, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s campaign team accused the governor of southeastern Paktia province, Juma Khan Hamdard, of using his position to boost another candidate, Zalmai Rassoul.

mds/ma