Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, July 4th, 2024

Electoral Reform Ascertains Vibrant Democratic Afghanistan

Afghanistan requires a legitimate and functioning government committed to implementing a comprehensive program of reform to empower the Afghan constitution, thereby making the values of the Constitution a daily reality for the people of Afghanistan. Stability of the country is strengthened by a genuine political partnership between the President and the CEO, under the authority of the President. Electoral reforms are also a major part of the agreement between then presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah after last year's disputed presidential election. It was the September 2014 agreement, the twin head of state and government agreed to electoral reforms to ensure that future elections are credible.

Without making needed reforms the unity government would exercise extra-constitutional authority until electoral reforms are made before conducting parliamentary and district council polls. Many local and international election advocates have repeatedly raised their concerns saying the government is less interested in reforms –a conflicting approach to reform in this sector is the underlying evidence to the aforesaid issue. It is not the members of civil society who raises concern over delay of reforms –the members of Wolesi Jirga members too expressed concerns over the delay in electoral reforms, urging the two leaders to set aside their differences in the larger interest of the country. How would the country decide and head towards the future undertakings provided the essential reforms are not made; the role and responsibilities of individual descended to corresponding situations are not clarified. It is undeniably comprehensible –the slot of chief executive is yet to be legitimized following required amendments in the constitution. Earlier, the US and German special representatives for Afghanistan and Pakistan have stressed the need in electoral reforms without further delay.

Identically, the Afghanistan Contact Group (ACG), Daniel Feldman, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressed it was necessary that the elections were acceptable to everybody in Afghanistan. In that pursuit the installment of electoral reforms commission stand out to be prior most duty of government. In the light of loud criticism over 2013 election result the National Unity Government (NUG) evolved following a broad based consensus –the fate of lifelong stability of NUG is decided by the mutually agreeable electoral reforms. It should be ascertained that 2019 presidential elections would meet all the critical requirements on credibility and liability provided the National Unity Government implements its commitments for bringing electoral reforms. Responding at the mounting pressure of civil society and international reform advocate institutions', earlier the government formed electoral reform special commission that would assume the due course of action making the upcoming parliamentary and local council election credible and the business of government well defined and implementable.

The commission was assigned to bring about fundamental changes to the electoral system and build trust between the people and government‎. Doing so, President Ashraf Ghani issued a decree announced the 15-member special commission choosing female lawmaker Shukria Barekzai as the head of the commission and Sediqullah Tawhidi the deputy head. Nonetheless, the CEO's office has opposed Ghani's appointment of Shukria Barakzai as the head. As a result, the commission has not formerly started working. This is patent move underscoring the underlying differences between president and the CEO –seems to be predominantly the clash of interest than the crucial changes. Conversely, a deliberate controversy is imminent to surface subsequent to formation of Head of electoral reform commission although Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan owns a head. In the presence of one commission what would be the status of other commission is hitherto to be decided. What would be the area of jurisdiction of these commissions is shun in ambiguity? Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) are fighting off calls for them to be replaced while insisting that, at this point, they are the only ones who should be making changes to improve future elections.

This controversy is an addition to the one existing between political elites. It is witnessed when everyone is talking about electoral reform; the internal strife really boils down to a struggle for control of the electoral bodies and, ultimately, the design to turn the outcome of upcoming elections as par expectation. This is not the only conflict emerging on finalization of head of reform commission, history recorded clash of interest on account distribution of important ministries between the variant stakeholders.Beleaguered amongst controversy the issues of national interest pushed to background –there are certain diplomatic issues are too lingering their fates. In order to ensure the stability of National Unity Government and easing power-sharing agreement calls for the convening of a Loya Jirga within two years to consider amending the Constitution to create the position of an executive prime minister. Loya Jirga is a special type of Jarga that is mainly organized for choosing a new head of state in case of adopting a new constitution. Subsequent, to disputed election result of previous election the office of Chief Executive was created whose constitutional status is yet to be affixed by Loya Jarga and the two houses of parliament. Likewise the impartiality of future elections depends upon the degree of requisite reforms are made. The dream of vibrant, developed and prosperous Afghanistan can only come true when the required reforms are installed in constitutions and duly implemented.