The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Monday reported that from the total number of 6,423 polling centers introduced to security institutions, 184 centers will be closed during the second round of the elections. Security institutions have stated that they will share their assessments with IEC shortly.
In addition, IEC Spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor announced that primary and sensitive election materials have been transferred to at least 61 districts via air and land.
“IEC has finalized staff recruitments and trainings for all 34 provinces,” Noor said. “We are confident that there will be no challenges on Election Day.”
However, the public remains skeptical and has expressed concerns about the participation of government officials, governors and military commanders in the election campaigns. This is while the chairman of the election commission had threatened to disclose the names of officials involved in fraud if the government did not take any actions. But with only few days until the runoff, the names have still not been disclosed.
“We have recently heard claims in media about certain governors engaging in electoral campaigns. Although, we do not have any evidence yet," an official from the Office of Administrative Affairs and Council of Ministers Secretariat (OAACOMS), Syed Ehsan Tahiri, said. "The election commission has to send us the lists of all complaints, but we have not received anything thus far."
IEC in response claims to have already announced the names.
“We announced the names of those involved in fraud right after the April 5 elections," Noor said. "We do not want to be the media headline every day."
Additionally, recent reports indicate that many people are forced to vote in favor of a particular candidate. A member of Baghlan provincial council, Nida Kiyan has said that local officials have intimidated residents of the province during electoral campaigns, intimidating them to vote in favor of a particular candidate.
“During the campaigns, people have been forced through violence to vote for a specific candidate,” Kiyan said.
With Election Day right around the corner, concerns over the interference of government officials have intensified among the public.
So far, Paktia Governor Juma Khan Hamdard and some cabinet ministers have been accused of rigging and meddling.
Source/Fuente: http://www.tolonews.com/elections2014/184-polling-centers-closed-during-...
