Officials from some of Afghanistan’s influential political parties, election observers and lawmakers on Monday criticized the decision by the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) for postponing the country’s presidential elections until July 20 next year, saying the electoral body took the decision under political pressure imposed on it by government.
The presidential elections was initially scheduled for April 20. However, the commission announced a new date for the elections on Sunday.
“We are still in doubt about the capacity of the Independent Election Commission to hold the presidential elections,” said Yusuf Rasheed, head of Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan.
“Afghan government did not have the required preparations to compete and it was thinking that if they get more time, they could be prepared more,” said Assadullah Saadati, member of political committee of political parties.
MPs said changing the election timeline was violation of the law and that members of the election commission should be punished by legal and judicial institutions.
“The commission cannot amend its procedures during the elections process,” said MP Fawzia Kofi.
Former head of the IEC, Daud Ali Najafi, said in the first step, there is a need for more reforms to be implemented within the elections commission, warning that if reforms were not put in place, the IEC will not be able to hold the elections despite the move to delay the polls.
“If reforms are not put in place, elections will not be organized in a better way, but it will face another crisis,” said Najafi.
The Presidential Palace has not commented on the allegations.
But, the IEC has hit back over the allegations and said the decision to delay the presidential elections was a decision which has made in the national level.
“Our evaluation from the parliamentary elections took us to the conclusion that the commission has the capacity to hold four elections,” said Mirza Mohammad Haqparast, IEC’s deputy spokesman.
“The Independent Election Commission has the responsibility to conduct the elections. The commission is authorized to determine elections’ date based on the law,” said Omid Maisam, deputy spokesman for Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
Presidential Palace on Sunday welcomed IEC’s decision on the elections date.
