KABUL - Election watchdog Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA) on Thursday said the Independent Election Commission (IEC) lacked professional workers and the problem needed to be addressed soon.
TEEFA head, Naim Ayubzada, addressing a press conference here, said their findings showed the IEC was struggling with the shortage of professional officers.
He said the upcoming elections might face crisis considering the mentioned problem in the IEC.
The IEC has so far recruited 359 officers out of 448 and the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) employed 115 of its 334 officers, he said.
“The vacant posts in the two commissions are technical and very important, so qualified individuals should be employed to these posts as soon as possible”, Ayubzada said.
Calling the usage of new technology in the election process as important, he said the set the Presidential Palace had suggested not implementable. “The IEC itself should take a step for preparing new technology in polls.”
Najibullah Ahmadzai, IEC chief who was present in the meeting, said civil society institutes, political parties and media could play important role in observing the commission’s performance.
“We are committed to working with all institutes and political parties to hold impartial, transparent, fair and nationwide elections and provide information to the public,” he said.
Ahmadzai also stressed the importance of technology in elections, particularly in preparing voter lists.
He believed technology could help 80 percent transparency in polls. “Ensuring security is also important because it would reduce concerns about lack of transparency.”
Abdul Aziz Aryayi, head of IECC, also talked about problems in his commission.
“We face many problems not due to our management but due to interferences of some individuals and we have discussed about it, if the problem is not resolved in a month, I will resign,” he said.
He said he had no authority to select employees and the shortage of budget was another problem that should be addressed.
The IEC has announced July 7, 2018 the date to hold parliamentary and district council elections and the government has declared its readiness to go for the ballot in the given time. (Pajhwok)