KABUL - The Electoral Reform Commission (ERC) on Monday raised doubts over a government plan to conduct Afghanistan's parliamentary elections under a new procedure.
Although the new plan is still under consideration, the Afghan government reportedly hopes to hold parliamentary elections on a single-seat basis, replacing the current system.
The ERC argues that the single-seat election plan will undermine election transparency and fairness and that this will help local lawbreakers exploit the poll for their own benefit.
In addition, a number of election observer groups have also said that the new plan does not fit in with the abilities of the election commission.
"I think that single-seat elections would face some problems," ERC chief Shah Sultan Akefi said.
Based on the government's draft plan, all provinces will be divided into several constituencies, however only one candidate will make his way to parliament from amongst these constituencies.
"It is a good plan and it can help overcome issues we witnessed during the previous parliamentary elections in Ghazni, but holding elections in a single-seat method will create tumult; the election commission is not prepared and it is not implementable with the current capacity of the election commission," said Jan Dad Spinghar, head of Afghanistan Civil Society Election Network (ACSEN).
"Single-seat elections will isolate elections in the country, monopolizing the elections will not benefit anyone," MP Fatima Aziz said.
Currently there are 249 seats in parliament.
Undertaking systematic reforms in Afghanistan's election law remains an important part of the political agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and his Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah. However the demands of the Afghan people and international community regarding the election reforms are yet to be met by government.(Tolonews)