KABUL: The presidential and provincial council elections in Afghanistan came to a close after an hour of extension on Saturday evening, followed by the counting of votes.
#Afghan election: Voting counting process officially started all over the country. #IEC
— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) April 5, 2014
The Afghans turned out in large numbers to vote in Saturday’s presidential and provincial council elections despite warnings of violence by the Taliban.
#Afghan Election: Election Commission: More than 7 Million afghans voted in today’s election. It seems turnout could be around 60%
— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) April 5, 2014
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) said that about 12 million Afghans were eligible to vote in the election while a total of 6,845 polling stations were established throughout the country but 323 were added later on.
The incumbent President Hamid Karzai, who has ruled the country since the Taliban’s overthrow in 2001, was constitutionally barred from seeking another term in office.
For presidential elections, eight candidates are in the run which included among others former foreign ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmay Rassoul and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
On the other hand, about 2,600 individuals are contesting provincial council elections.
In order to prevent attacks on polling stations and voters by Taliban militants, at least 400,000 security personnel were deployed across the country.
Earlier, the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) member and spokesman Nader Mohseni told reporters in Kabul that so far 200 complaints had been registered at the IEC offices in Kabul and provinces.
Mohseni said that there were 20 complaints registered in Kabul, saying the objections were against presidential and provincial council candidates regarding law violations and fraud.
The IECC spokesman also confirmed receiving hundreds of phone calls sharing information with the commission regarding irregularities.
In case of any irregularities and fraud, voters could contact the IECC through phone number 0729804851, Mohseni said, adding complaints could be registered within 48 hours after the voting had ended.
