ECC Press Conference Sept 16 Notes

The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) held a press conference today with its spokesman, Commissioner Ahmad Zia Rafat. Here are our notes:

Candidates

Five more candidates have been disqualified from Saturday's elections, bringing to 91 the total number of ineligible candidates. The ECC said that Hajji Muhammed Ghaus Ahrari (Herat) and Rohullah Kharuti (Kabul) had both been convicted of crimes and were therefore ineligible. Three other candidates - Asadullah Hasar Shahiwal (Nangarhar), Abdul Wali Sehi (Paktia) and Mir Haidar Andarabi (Baghlan) had been removed after failing to resign from their government jobs. The ECC said that there had been reports in the media that Tahira Bibi Kobra Ahmadshahi (Ghazni) had also been removed but the ECC, said after appeal she has been allowed to remain as a candidate. 

Proxy votes

The ECC reminded people that they must vote themselves. For example, no man (or woman) was allowed to vote on behalf of a woman. If such practices occurred then the ECC would take action against any official who allowed such a violation of the Electoral Law. 

Complaints

There have been 1,889 complaints filed with the ECC since the preliminary list of candidates was first revealed. The ECC said it had dealt with more than 70 percent of complaints it has received. Herat, with 163, has recorded the highest number of complaints. Logar and Paktika, with two each, have recorded the fewest.