In the latest season of presidential election, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) performed better in pre-election period and also on the day of election. Nonetheless, now the post-election role of the IEC and Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) are even more crucial.

Ballot boxes containing around 7.3 million votes of the people have reached IEC’s central office and the process of counting the votes and also distinguishing ballot boxes that have been stuffed continue. The IEC has already announced 10% result of the April 5th presidential election from 26 provinces. Since it is only 10% it is too early for one to estimate which one of the eight presidential candidates will secure more than 50% of votes. Nonetheless, the partial results announced on April 13 have put Dr. Abdullah Abdullah in the lead followed by Dr. Ashraf GhaniAhmadzai.

While IEC is having a hectic time in counting the votes and ECC in investigating reports of frauds and irregularities, the people and their representatives in Walosi Jirga and Mesharono Jirga have called upon the electoral bodies to ensure the process of counting the votes are fair and transparent. These concerns should be taken as serious. On the Election Day, certain IEC officials were found working in favor of a particular candidate and complaints against them have already been submitted to ECC. Presence of such officials inside IEC office cannot be rejected.

In post-election scenario, a crucial timeline that IEC must meet is related announcement of polling results. Delay in announcing the 10% result created questions on the capability of the IEC to announce the result according to the set schedule. It seems like President Hamid Karzai is also eager to know the results of the election. In his recent weekly address the nation aired by Afghanistan state TV channel, he said, "The next steps are counting ballots, filing complaints and investigating the complaints. The ECC and IEC are working on these and I hope that the final results are announced on time."

Based on its schedule, preliminary result of the election is due on April 24 while final results will made public on 14 May. It is hoped that the electoral bodies of the country exhibit satisfactory performance in handling their post-election tasks which is counting of votes in a proper and transparent manner, looking into the electoral complaints and announcing the results in a timely fashion.