KABUL (SW) – Salam Watandar has obtained an audio clip of conversation between the Independent Election Complaint Commission’s member Mawlawi Deen Mohammad Azimi and Secretary of the Independent Election Commission, Habibur Rehman Nang.
In this clip of a group conversation, Azimi can be heard saying: “Read the text of the decision by Nang that the sticker should be present on the back of the identity card. Is the decision being distorted or not?” In continuation, he says future of the country depends on this decision, and serious attention should be paid to it.
The IEC Secretary responds to Azimi to refer to the ‘order’ at the bottom of the directive, which states that "supplement to decision by the Independent Election Complaint Commission". However, this fails to convince Azimi. Responding to the directives issued by the IEC Secretary to the provincial electoral commissions in this connection, Azimi expressed fears it would cause troubles.
Azimi insists that the decision has been distorted since Nang has said that only the presence of QR Code on the back of the identity card is essential while as the verification of the QR Code is important. He went on to blame Nang for issuing directives in the ‘dark of the night’, and demanded the IECC rulings should be executed in the presence of independent observers and observers of the candidates and observers of the complaint commission.
Citing an example, Azimi said Helmand’s provincial electoral commission office has been asked to compile and dispatch the results. This member of the complaint commission stresses that such results are not acceptable.
Salam Watandar has obtained a copy of the directives issues by the IEC Secretary Habibur Rehman Nang. It directs operation heads in the provinces: “According to the Election Complaints Commission's ruling and directives by the honorable commission, the recount of 298 polling stations in 9 provinces, presence of the bar code on the back of the identity card and on the base of the other points of the complaints, the recount should be ensured and all due processes applied in line with the principles”.
This and another letter obtained by Salam Watandar indicate grim differences between the two electoral commissions over the recount and investigation of the votes, and seems the IECC has been sidelined. Another letter no.2033, dated 16 Feb. obtained by Salam Watandar states that the letter No. 448 dated 12 Feb. by Independent Election Commission to the Independent Election Complaints Commission was contrary to the content of the joint meetings of both commissions on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12.
It seems there are serious disagreement between the two election commissions as to how the audit and recount process shall be conducted, and the Electoral Complaints Commission has been excluded from participating in the recount and audit process.
When contacted, Nang told Salam Watandar no directives have been issued in the night, and all rulings of the IEC are in line with the complaint commission.
ENDS
