KABUL (SW): The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Wednesday expressed opposition towards modification in electoral laws proposed by the newly established Electoral Reforms Commission (ERC).
Two weeks ago, the ERC concluded its task of formulating suggestions that also included some amendments to the electoral laws. A day earlier, the Ministry of Justice announced it has accepted recommendations made by ERC and endorsed by the President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.
The recommendations however, have also been criticized by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA) that labeled them as flawed.
IEC Deputy Head Abdul Rehman Hotaki said today any modifications to the electoral laws should come from the IEC.
Defending the IEC’s legal rights, he said the council was busy formulating timetable for the Wolesi Jirga and local council elections. This comes at a time when the Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah has said efforts were underway to appoint new electoral commissions who would formulate timetable for the upcoming elections.
IEC has been established based in accordance to the article 156 of the Constitution that allows it to function as an independent body in holding, managing and monitoring all elections in the country.
Hotaki said amendments in the election law would create problems and instability in the implementation process of transparent, impartial and fair elections.
Considering the previous elections, he said reasons for the frauds were insecurity, lack of respect to the law by stake-holders, intervention of officials and influential figures in the electoral process etc.
Also on Wendesday, a number of the Wolesi Jirga members criticized the newly formed ERC. In general discussion over this electoral body, Mirbat Khan, Abdul Qadir and others said this new commission has undermined a number of resolutions that parliament has approved in regard to the election process.
