Kabul: President Hamid Karzai issued a
decree today handing authority to resolve a long-running
dispute over Afghanistan`s 2010 parliamentary polls to the
country`s Independent Election Commission (IEC).
The decree dissolved Afghanistan`s special election
tribunal -- which Karzai had backed -- and disqualified other
government bodies from ruling on the highly sensitive issue,
which is being eagerly watched by diplomats in Kabul.
Observers say they hope the decree could be a step
towards breaking the paralysis that has dogged the Afghan
parliament since its inauguration in January, as US-led NATO
troops start limited withdrawals.
The decree said the IEC should "immediately finalise" the
issue and added: "After this decree, all issues of the Wolesi
Jirga (parliamentary) elections processed in any other body,
apart from the IEC, are considered ended."
The IEC had certified the election results last November
but will now have to issue a fresh ruling, following months of
controversy.
An official in Karzai`s office, speaking anonymously
because he was not authorised to speak to the media,
explained, though, that the IEC would have to base its
findings on previous court rulings.
"The president is asking the IEC to make a final decision
based on the evidence, findings and verdicts of the special
court and the appeal court," the source said.
PTI
