[xtypo_dropcap]O[/xtypo_dropcap]n Thursday, five days after the poll, Afghan officials released the first partial results from Saturday’s parliamentary election, expecting the results at the end of October, as numerous fraud charges need to be investigated.
In a relatively insecure environment last Saturday, 25 percent of Afghanistan voters expressed their preference to fill 249 parliamentary seats. About 2,500 candidates were up for election.
The elections were hampered by attacks by the Taliban, keeping polling stations empty or closed. Thirty people were killed during the voting and anti-fraud measures appeared not to work.
Election Commission Chairman Fazel Ahmad Manawi said fraud will only be a problem if it is ignored and said that charges are being looked into, reported AP. Officials will quarantine or remove suspicious ballots.
Most of the reported 1,496 complaints are from areas that suffered Taliban intimidation on Saturday. As long as the division of votes throughout a province is balanced and the Parliament is a fair representation of Afghanistan society, said Mark Sedwill of NATO, the goal is achieved.
