Presidential poll: Govt, international community not on same page

KABUL) official on Tuesday said the Afghan government and the international community were not on same page over the conduct of presidential election on April 20.

The IEC official, who wished to go unnamed, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the commission was undecided because of the differences between the government and the international community over the date of election.

He said donor countries wanted the presidential and Wolesi Jirga polls in Ghazni to be postponed but the government emphasized on holding all four elections --presidential, Wolesi Jirga in Ghazni and provincial council and district council polls simultaneously on April 20.

The official said holding the four elections at once was impossible. The IEC has so reached no agreement in this regard with donor countries and the government, the source said.

“If we do not receive budget, we cannot hold Wolesi Jirga elections in Ghazni and presidential election on April 20,” the official said, while answering a question.

He said privileges for district council members were yet to be explained and no one had so far visited the IEC to register as candidate. “Holding district council elections is impossible in such a situation.”

Mohammad Sarwar Danish, second vice-president, on his Facebook page wrote about the unknown fate of provincial and district council elections that, “We are responsible for enforcing the Constitution and national sovereignty is our highest responsibility.”

According to the presidential election, schedule the candidate registration process that began December 22 would continue until January 2, 2019.

So far 40 people have received information packages for participating in the presidential elections from the IEC, but no one has so far registered as candidate.

Based on the schedule, the presidential election would be held on April 20, 2019.

mds/ma