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Afghan Observers Question Legitimacy of Election

   VOA News 19 September 2010
   An Afghan election worker counts ballot papers at a polling station in
   Kabul, 18 Sep 2010

Photo: AP

   The  main  Afghan  election  observer group says the legitimacy of the
   balloting in Saturday's parliamentary election is questionable.
   The  Free  and  Fair  Elections  Foundation of Afghanistan says it has
   "serious  concerns  about  the  quality"  of  the elections, given the
   insecurity and numerous complaints of fraud.
   Meanwhile,  the NATO-led international security force said it recorded
   more than 300 incidents of election-related violence. Â
   The Afghan Election Complaints Commission said it has received reports
   of  alleged  irregularities,  including the delayed opening of polling
   centers, misuse of voter registration cards, ineligible people voting,
   a  shortage  of ballots, and the poor quality of indelible ink used to
   prevent multiple voting. Â
   The  commission   has not yet announced a final voter turnout figure,
   but  said  late Saturday that 3.6 million people had voted.  Nearly 6
   million ballots were cast in the presidential election last year. Â
   U.N.  Secretary  General Ban Ki-moon in a statement praised the voters
   for  their "courage and determination."  Â
   U.S.  General  David  Petraeus, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan,
   also  offered  encouragement  to  the  voters,  saying  the  voice  of
   Afghanistan's  future  "belongs  to  the  people," and not to "violent
   extremists and terror networks."
   The  interior  minister reports at least 11 civilians and three police
   officers   were   killed   in  election-related  violence  across  the
   country.   And  the  head  of  the country's election commission said
   Sunday  the  bodies  of  three elections workers kidnapped in northern
   Afghanistan Saturday have been found.
   More  than  2,500 candidates were competing for 249 seats in the lower
   house of parliament, or wolesi jirga. Â
   Preliminary  election  results are not expected until next month, with
   final  results  likely  announced  at  the  end  of  October after any
   complaints of fraud or misconduct are resolved.
   Close  to  300,000  Afghan  troops and police, backed by international
   forces, provided security during Saturday's vote.

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