Quarantining 25pc Badakhshan ballot boxes feared

FAIZABAD/BAMYAN (Pajhwok): At least 74 electoral complaints had been recorded in northeastern Badakhshan province and the objections if verified could lead to putting 25 percent of ballot boxes in quarantine, an official said on Thursday.

Independent Elecoral Complaints Commission (IECC) official in Badakhshan Abdul Mussawir Sirat said four complaints had been lodged against presidential candidates, 40 against provincial council runners, 22 against election commission employees and six against government officials.

He said some district and police chiefs had been accused of violations and in two instances, gunmen had intimidated voters.

There were complaints about ballot stuffing, voting without applying inedible ink to fingers of voters, a shortage of forms to lodge complaints and casting ballots by unregistered voters.

He said they had received audio and video footages of electoral fraud, saying 25 percent of ballot boxes would be quarantined if the complaints were found supported by valid documents. “The move will have an impact on votecount,” he added.

Badakhshan election commission head Muhammad Rassoul Omar said the process of airlifting ballot boxes from 14 districts to Faizabad City would be completed today (Thursday).

Meanwhile, more than 20 complaints have been registered in central Bamyan province, where four ballot boxes were quarantined.

IECC head in Bamyan Niamatullah Tanin said: “We have started assessing electoral violations and a decision in this regard will be made public pending an investigation.” But a final decision in this regard would come from the main office in Kabul, he added.

Governor Ghulam Ali Wihdat said the national process had been satisfactory and there had been a massive turnout.

He acknowledged there had been some problems on the Election Day such as a shortage of ballot papers in Panjab, Yakawlang districts and Bamyan City, but such polling stations had been resupplied needed materials before the voting came to a close.

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