Despite problems and difficulties in balloting, Afghans warmly welcomed the long-delayed legislative election held on Saturday and Sunday. Though the voting process was marred by widespread technical issues, ordinary Afghans said they were happy because they at least had the chance to put an end to the continuation of the illegal work of current members of the Wolesi Jirga or the Lower House of Afghan Parliament.
Samiullah, a resident of Kabul city, who voted in one of fifth police district polling stations, said at first he was not allowed to vote because his name was not on the voter list, but later on when the complete list reached to the station, he was entitled to vote for the candidate of his choice.
Another voter Azizullah, who cast his vote in Ayoub Sabir Mosque in Khoshal Khan area of western Kabul, told The Heart of Asia Daily that some powerful individuals were trying to influence voters’ choice but people resisted and voted for the runners they believed can better represent them.
The long-delayed polling were slated for Saturday but due to some problems in logistics and use of biometric devices to identify voters to prevent fraud, the voting was extended to second day at least at 452 stations across the country.
According to the Independent Election Commission (IEC), three million voters turned out on the first day of election far less than the registered 8.8 million voters.
Abdullah Atif, a legal expert, says IEC’s decision to extend the election to the second day was illegal but it paved the way for more people to cast their votes, so it was justifiable.
Atif says according to provision of the election law voting can be only extended for two hours or as long as the people in queues have all voted.
Despite a relative calm on Election Day, security threats were a big reason that disenfranchised some people. The election process had faced with security challenges from its initial stages and dozens of people, including some candidates, were killed and wounded since the launch of the process.
Fortnight before the polling, Taliban in a statement called on Afghans to boycott it as they termed the process as an American conspiracy to give legitimacy to the illegitimate Afghan government, urging their fighters to leave no stone unturned to disrupt the process.
Though the security apparatus portray the holding of election as a success, at least 44 Afghans were killed in 200 different incidents on first day of election. The deadliest of the incidents was a suicide attack in Khairkhana area of Kabul which left 15 voters and security forces dead.
