Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

IEC Seeks Financial Aid as Observers Cast Doubt on Polls Date

IEC Seeks Financial Aid as Observers Cast Doubt on Polls Date

KABUL - “The electronic ID cards department will help us in preparing the content and sample of the voters lists,” the IEC secretariat chief said.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Thursday said the United Nations has vowed to clarify countries and the levels of their support to the upcoming elections in Afghanistan within the next week.
The IEC secretariat chief Imam Mohammad Warimach in an interview with TOLOnews said the election management body is in talks with lecturers of Kabul Polytechnic University and the Electronic National Identity Cards (e-NIC) Department about a procedure to determine sample and content of voters lists.
“The electronic ID cards department will help us in preparing the content and sample of the voters lists,” the IEC secretariat chief said.
“The national procurement authority should find companies to tackle the issue of electronic elections. UNAMA will also find that which countries are supporting us in which level,” he added.
Meanwhile, a number of election monitoring groups and observers said they were not confident that the IEC will be able to conduct the parliamentary elections next year.
“The biggest issue on the way of elections is that (the country’s) leaders have not agreed on a general consensus on this issue. If the consensus is forged, there will be no problem on the way of elections,” said Jandad Spinghar, head of Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan.
According to the IEC secretariat, election commissioners in a meeting with government leaders on Wednesday decided to engage the electoral body in discussions with the Kabul Poly Technic University and e-NIC department to ensure that the next elections are held with the help of technology.
The meeting was also attended by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) representatives where the UN body pledged to secure the international community’s financial cooperation for Afghanistan’s elections. 
Afghanistan’s parliamentary and district councils elections were initially due to take place on June last year, but the polls were then postponed over reform controversy as pledged by the government leaders.
The elections are now set to be held on 7 July 2018. (Tolonews)