The Afghanistan Independent Election Commission (IEC) has kicked off its preparation for conducting the second round of election after all of the eight presidential contenders who participated in first round of election on 5th April failed to obtain more than 50% of votes – a legal prerequisite for the presidential seat in Afghanistan. The process of transferring election materials and other logistics has begun. The number of polling stations has been increased. The IEC officials say adequate number of ballot papers have been printed to avoid their shortage on the Election Day although reasons for why polling stations in certain provinces of Afghanistan ran out of ballot papers in the first round are still vague.

The run-off election was due to take place on May 28. The IEC has, however, postponed it for June 14. The delay indicates the IEC is falling behind its previously announced schedule. Such delays speak of inability of the commission in accurate projection of dates for various phases of election. Already anxious about the future the people of Afghanistan have to wait to for more than month before the IEC will announce the result of run-off election on July 22. Needless to mention that IEC is taking more than required time to declares result of elections as in the other countries of the world the fate of candidates become clear over a night after the Election Day.

Election campaigns for the run-off election would commence on May 22 and would end on June 11. Campaigning teams of the two leading presidential candidates Dr. Abdullah Abdullah (who got 45% of votes) and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (who got 31.6% of votes) are scheduling their provincial visits. During the 20-day election campaign period risks are high.

Previously, scores of people working as a part of election campaign teams of candidates or as employees of IEC were shot dead by insurgents. Before the election, the Taliban launched a number of coordinated attacks inside Kabul and other provinces of Afghanistan, although their attacks were bravely countered by Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF). It is feared that the insurgent would do their utmost to disrupt the second round of election by carrying out terror attacks. There are grave risks to the life of civilians, the candidates, the people working for election campaigns and employees of the IEC. Therefore, the ministries of interior and defense must make stricter security plans so that the enemies of Afghanistan are not allowed to bar people from participating in this very democratic process.