KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced on Wednesday that the recount of votes cast in the June 14 runoff would begin tomorrow (Thursday) in the presence of national and international observers.
IEC spokesman Noor Muhammad Noor said the process would kick off in the IEC central office and last at least three weeks. “Some 20, 000 ballot boxes would be recounted,” he added. IEC staff will make sure to thoroughly investigate at least 1,000 ballot boxes a day.
He told journalists in Kabul IEC staff would work in two shifts -- from 7am to noon and from 1pm to 6pm. In each shift, 100 teams of IEC staff would work under the watchful eyes of international observers and both candidates’ representatives.
Noor stated each candidate was allowed to nominate 20 observers. International Security Assistance Force ISAF, NATO and United Nation representatives are part of the process, including transportation of ballot boxes from provinces to the capital.
The spokesman explained that a 16-point check list had been selected as standard to evaluate the votes. “Eleven points have been suggested by the IEC and five more by the UN.”
The audit is part of a deal brokered by the US secretary of state between presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah in a bid to resolve the election dispute.
