The Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) on Tuesday announced invalidating votes of 109 polling stations, dismissing 71 Independent Election Commission (IEC) workers and suggesting audit and recount of votes of over 5,300 sites.
Zahra Bayan Shinwari, IECC chief, told a press conference in Kabul that the process of responding to complaints after the announcement of preliminary results of the presidential election had been completed and the IECC was currently receiving objections.
She said so far 769 objections had been registered with IECC and the number could increase in future.
She said 9,866 out of total 16,545 complaints had been rejected for lack of evidence by IECC provincial offices.
Based on the decisions of IECC’s provincial offices, 18 complaints led to reform measures, three complaints were referred to judiciary organs and 111 other complaints were vague, she added.
The votes from 109 polling stations have been invalidated, 75 people were fined over alleged involvement in fraud and 75 IEC employees fired, Shinwari said.
She added votes of 5,316 polling stations were suggested for audit and recount in 21 provinces of the country.
Mohammad Qasim Elyasi, IECC spokesman, about polling stations that require audit and recount, said, “The votes of 1,699 stations in Kabul, 1,582 in Nangarhar, 383 in Paktika, 265 in Helmand, 243 in Kunar, 176 in Paktia, 177 in Nimroz, 121 in Kandahar, 117 in Kapisa, 92 in Parwan and 73 in Takhar will be audited and recounted.”
He said 65 polling stations in Ghazni, 61 in Zabul, 60 in Herat, 53 in Khost, 51 in Ghor, 46 in Kunduz, 25 in Maidan Wardak, 17 in Logar and six in Baghlan would be also audited and recounted.
On the other hand, Sayed Qudbuddin Roidar, a commissioner of IECC, said decisions of the commission’s provincial offices were not final and that was the reason they could not comment about the number of votes rejected as final outcome may vary.
The presidential elections were held on September 28 last year and the preliminary results announced on December 22, 2019.
