KABUL, Afghanistan – The Afghan parliament is pushing on efforts to shift from paper to electronic voting, including electronic attendance system for the members, said the Wolesi Jirga Secretariat on Monday.
The move came days after the Wolesi Jirga voted for at least 16 nominee ministers and directorates, where roughly all the 248 lawmakers were present; but on the following day only 10 MPs attended the assembly.
“The voting system in the Wolesi Jirga will shift to electronic in the next few days as the technical department of the Wolesi Jirga has completed the project by 90 percent,” said Hujjatullah Kheradmand, the deputy head of the parliament secretariat, as TOLOnews quoted.
While officials bid to break through the traditional approach, believing technological medium are more reliable, critique suggests whey such an initiative has not been implemented long ago.
Habib-Ur-Rahman Pedram, an MP from Herat, said he is sure the electronic voting system will “prevent corruption,” where a number of MPs have been accused of fraud. (Khaama Press)