The Independent Election Commission has confirmed earlier reports of April 05, 2014 for presidential and provincial council elections.
IEC Chief Fazal Ahmad Manawi talking to media on Wednesday confirmed the dates saying presidential poll results will be announced on May 14, 2014 and provincial council results on June 7, 2014. In case none of presidential contestants could receive 50+1 percent of votes, runoff elections would be held on May 22, 2014.
The deadline for presidential candidates' nomination has been set for 14 days starting on September 15, 2013. He added that 7000 polling centers have been identified, and voter registration would being on April 20, 2013, to be completed in four months.
It is a welcoming development. However, dates and a schedule do not guarantee free, fair, transparent, and smooth elections. Much more important works need to be done. The Government and legislature should speed up the process of working on and approval of the electoral law.
The new draft law on structure, duties and responsibilities of the IEC and ECC approved by the National Assembly (Wolesi Jirga) needs to be approved in Senate and by President Karzai as soon as possible and implemented. Each day of delay makes it more unlikely for the IEC to carry its work on voter registration and other issues according to the deadline set.
The controversy over inclusion of two representatives of the United Nations at the Electoral Complaints Commission is a non-issue fabricated by the current Administration as per designs to influence the outcome of polls.
The proposal has been approval by majority in parliament and President Karzai should respect that mandate of the representatives of the people of Afghanistan by approving the draft law to make the affairs of IEC and ECC clear. The international community should reiterate their commitments for free, fair and transparent elections with financial and political support.
Particularly the UN should mobile donor countries to ensure the financial need for preparations of election. The international community should also support democratic institutions and legal transparency in all aspects of polls.
The inclusion of two UN representatives is in any sense not foreign interference and against sovereignty of Afghanistan, but rather a domestic demand by the representatives of the people of Afghanistan. They should support the demand.
A rejection of the mentioned draft law would unnecessarily prolong the legislation process at this crucial situation with lack of time. Rather the Government and parliament should focus on clarifying roles of institutions to avoid any crisis in 2014. Only a smooth political transition in Kabul can avoid crisis after withdrawal of foreign troops in 2014 for short-term.
If the current post-Bonn setup continues, we will come out of the vicious circle of Taliban and other security and economic issues in long-term. However, any misadventure of the current Administration with 2014 elections will ensure our quick descent into chaos.