IEC begins transferring biometric data of polls to servers

KABUL (SW) – The Independent Election Commission on Sunday began transferring the electoral data from biometric verification devices to its servers.

Gulajan Abdul Badi Sayad, IEC chairman, told a moot in this connection that the electoral commission has managed to utilize the biometric technology for voters’ verification despite the late decision by the government in utilizing this technology for the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) polls.

He said following the transfer of data, the IEC would be able to know how many votes were cast using the biometric technology and how many without it. He said fake votes would be separated from the genuine ones.

Meanwhile, a number of political parties have raised concerns over the matter of transparency in this process.

Saadullah, an electoral observer by the Hezb-e-Islami party, has said the process is not transparent, and the IEC is not allowing them to monitor the process.

However, Nasrullah, an independent electoral observer, has said the process is transparent, but added the IEC should establish a separate mechanism to ensure regulation and monitoring of the process.

ENDS