The Independent Election Commission has finally launched the voter registration process after months of delay. About 41 registration centres have been opened across the country, in all 34 provinces. In the first phase of the process, capital Kabul and other major cities will be completed and later provincial centres and all other districts.

IEC Chief Fazal Ahmad Manawi says the process will take around four months and about four million people will be registered. Talking at the opening ceremony of the process in Kabul, he said security is their biggest concern. The registration campaign will target those who do not have previous voter cards or refugee returnees and those who have lost their cards or their cards expired.

As our local saying goes, “dair ayad durost ayad”, despite the months of delay, it is a progress that the IEC has started the process. However, the number of registration centres is too few to complete the registration within deadline. In Kabul alone, there are three centres. In dispersed areas, the number is too few for a city of several million people. The Commission should increase number of registration centres in cities and all provincial centres. There should be one centre in each district across the country. With the current number of registration centres, many people would be unable to get voter cards and hundreds of thousands of voters will remain out of the election process. Many people would not bother to travel from one district to another for registration in the countryside.

Timely registration of all eligible voters is the most important pre-polling arrangement for a complete election process to be fair and transparent. There have been accusations by opposition that the delay in voter registration process has been an intentional move. And now the few number of centres seems to be part of the same delay-tactic.

Another important issue that remains to be addressed is the appointment of new Chief for the IEC. Fazal Ahmad Manawi is retiring and nobody has been nominated to replace him. The President is not willing to extend his tenure until the 2014 elections are held. The Palace has tried to bring an insider to head the Commission. President Chief of Staff Karim Khurram and National Security Advisor Dr.Spanta are two names making the rounds as Palace favourites. There have been no consultation and advisory meetings with opposition parties to decide a name. Any exclusive decision would make the IEC a disputed body and there would be problems prior to the polls.  President Karzai should ensure that an impartial person is nominated soon, or Manawi’s tenure is extended.