Kabul: The UN special envoy to
Afghanistan Kai Eide on Monday threw his full support behind the
Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) as the organisation
investigates allegations of fraud during last week`s polls.
Several candidates, Afghan and international election
monitors and voters have alleged widespread irregularities
during Afghanistan`s second ever Presidential and provincial
council polls, held last Thursday.
The ECC, where three out of five top officials were
appointed by Eide, said it had registered 225 complaints, of
which 35 were high priority and could affect the outcome of
the results.
"The ECC has my full confidence," Eide told reporters
after meeting ECC members in the Afghan capital.
Eide said there was no doubt that irregularities had
taken place and stressed it was critical for the whole
electoral process for the ECC to detect and address fraud.
"It is not my job to define how significant and how
widespread those irregularities have been. That is up to the
process that now follows and where the ECC will play a
critical role," he said.
Eide congratulated Afghans for voting despite Taliban
intimidation and security concerns. He called on all parties
involved to be patient and give the ECC enough time to
investigate all complaints.
"I know that the ECC would work as intensively as
they possibly can in way that demonstrates respect for the
voters and for the process," he said.
Bureau Report
