Wolesi Jirga summons security bosses, IEC officials

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Wolesi Jirga or lower house of the parliament on Monday decided to summon security bosses and officials of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to brief the lawmakers about security situation and delay in the upcoming election.

IEC earlier declared July, 18, 2018 date for the Wolesi Jirga and District Councils elections, but Wasema Badghisi, deputy operational head of the IEC, hinted at three months delay to the future election.

Ghulam Hussain Nasari, a lawmaker from Maidan Wardak province, said the delay in the upcoming election would push the process to the cold weather season, adding during October most parts of the country have cold weather and it would be difficult to conduct election.

He asked the government to implement all promises it pledged to the masses during presidential election.

Earlier the IEC said the process of voters’ registration would start in a month. Badghisi said the two months voters registration process may began in mid April. In the first months the process would be conducted in the provincial capitals, 15 days in district centres and another 15 days in villages and far-flung areas.

“The individual who come to the registration centre gets a security code attached to his/her National Identity Card (NIC) and the same NIC with security code will be required on Election Day,” she said.

Habib Afghan, Khochi representative, said: “I have doubt that how will National Identity Card (NIC) begin in two months and election be held despite security challenges.”

He demanded the interior minister and the IEC chairman should be summon to the next sessions in order to give details about future security arrangements.

A number of other lawmakers had expressed similar concerns over the delay in the upcoming election and security threats.

Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, said the IEC and security heads should be summoned to the next session to brief lawmakers on their future preparations for the elections of Wolesi Jirga and district councils.

He said, “Delay in the election process would not be acceptable for the common people”.