News

Watchdog concerned at inordinate delay in elections

Jan 30 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): An election watchdog said on Saturday the process of reforms had been stymied by the Wolesi Jirga’s rejection of the presidential decrees cleaning up the electoral system.

The deadlock hasspawned multiple challenges to the conduct of future parliamentary elections and hanged as a big question mark over the national unity government’s legitimacy.

Announcement of election schedule illegal: SJM

Jan 21 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Social Justice Movement (SJM) on Thursday termed the Independent Election Commission (IEC)’s date announcement for the parliamentary and district council elections as “illegal and unjustifiable.”

The civil society group said the announcement had hurt people’s trust over the unity government regarding reforms in the county’s electoral system and holding new elections by fresh election commissioners under a transparent system.

Stability party wants fresh polls after electoral reforms

Jan 19 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The newly-formed opposition party, Security and Stability Council (SSC), on Monday said it would not participate in future elections until electoral reforms were implemented.

Earlier in the day, Independent Elections Commission (IEC) Chairman Yousuf Nuristani told a news conference in Kabul that the panel was technically prepared to hold the delayed parliamentary election on October 15, 2016.

Parliamentary, district council elections set for mid-October

Jan 18 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Monday announced the schedule for parliamentary and district council elections.

IEC Chairman Yousuf Nuristani told a news conference that the panel made all technical preparations to conduct the election process on October 15, 2016.

He promised mistakes of the 2014 presidential vote would not be repeated. The coming polls would be fully transparent, he assured, claiming the panel had learnt a lot from past experience.

Crisis if parliamentary polls not held next year: Danish

Jan 14 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The second vice-president on Thursday said the government was committed to holding parliamentary and district council elections next year based on reforms to be applied.

Sarwar Danish in a message to a gathering in Kabul said the country would face widespread problems if the elections were not held next year.

The gathering was arranged by the Afghan Civil Society Election Network (ACSEN) about electoral reforms.

Timor Hakimyar, a member of ACSEN’s leadership board, called electoral reforms as vital for transparent future elections.

Hold elections before reforms, Gilani tells govt

Jan 10 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Coordination Council of Political and Jihadi parties on Sunday said the government should announce the schedule for parliamentary and district council elections before bringing electoral reforms.

Pir Syed Ahmad Gilani, the council spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News during an exclusive chat the announcement of dates for the elections was more important than changes to the election commissions.

Gilani favoured holding elections first calling it principle of democracy, saying reforms could be introduced in the next stage.

New election commission to manage future polls: CEO

Jan 08 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Thursday said next year’s parliamentary and district council elections would be managed by a new election commission and stressed that mistakes in previous elections would not repeated.

Fresh from a three-day visit to Iran, Abdulah told a press conference in Kabul that his visit was productive and full of achievements.

Selection Committee Activities Illegal: Nuristani

Jan 07 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Tolo News

The head of the Independent Election Commission (IEC), Yusuf Nuristani, on Wednesday welcomed MPs decision to reject President Ashraf Ghani's legislative decrees on the amendment of electoral laws, and said the Electoral Commissions Selection Committee's activities are not legal.

"The Selection Committee has been established based on a political agreement. We believe that the Wolesi Jirga [Lower House of Parliament] has paid respect to the country's law [by rejecting the decrees]," Nuristani said at a press conference.

Selection Committee Set To Receive Nominations From Sunday

Jan 02 2016
Afghanistan
Source: 
Tolo News

The Election Commission Selection Committee said Saturday it will receive nomination papers of election commission members from Sunday.

They said it will take ten days for nominations to be handed in and as soon as the deadline has passed they will start studying nominations.

Meanwhile, members of the selection committee said they are still trying to finalize some issues.

The selection committee convened its first meeting on Saturday to discuss the nomination process of candidates for electoral commissions.

Selection Committee Holds First Session, Appoints Chairman

Dec 31 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Tolo News

The Election Commission's Selection Committee – which is tasked to start with the electoral system reform process - held its first session on Thursday and appointed a chairman.

In this session, two members of the committee – Din Mohammad Geran, member of the Supreme Court and Mohammad Naeem Ayubzada, head of Free and Fair Election of Afghanistan – were nominated for chairmanship of the committee.

But the seven-member selection committee elected Geran as their chairman.

Election watchdogs shocked by Wolesi Jirga decision

Dec 23 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Election observers say they are concerned about the rejection of a presidential decree on the Electoral Reform Commission’s suggestions by the Wolesi Jirga, asking the government to find any other viable solution to the complex situation.

Mohammad Yousuf Rashid, the Free Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News they were shocked by the lower house’s decision.

Election Commission's Selection Committee Convenes First Working Session

Dec 17 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Tolo News

Following months of delays, the Selection Committee (SC) members for the election commissions on Thursday managed to convene their first preliminary meeting aimed at discussing their working program going forward.

The selection committee is assigned the task to scrutinize at least 36 nominees for the election commissions on the basis of their qualifications and experience and recommend their names to government.

Senators once again demand election schedule

Dec 15 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Meshrano Jirga or upper house of parliament members on Tuesday once again asked the government to announce dates for holding long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections and issue electronic ID cards.

 

Under the Constitution, the elections to Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament were due on June 22 last year.

 

Senator Farhad Sakhi said the leaders of the unity government should fix dates for the Wolesi Jirga and district council elections to end people’s concerns.

 

Election delay widens govt-masses gap, say MPs

Dec 08 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok):  Some senators on Tuesday renewed their call for the government to announce dates for holding parliamentary and district council elections and asked President Ghani to highlight Pakistan’s support for terrorism in the ‘Heart of Asia Conference.’

Heart of Asia Conference - Istanbul Process

The Istanbul Ministerial Process was established in 2011 to provide a platform to discuss regional issues, particularly encouraging security, political, and economic cooperation among Afghanistan and its neighbours.

Govt has failed to keep electoral reform promise: FEFA

Nov 27 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Free&Fair ElectionFoundation ofAfghanistan(FEFA)on Friday voiced its grave concern over the inordinate delay in the selectioncommittee’s work.

 

The delay in the nomination of election commission members by the selection committee could push back further parliamentary and district council polls, a senior FEFA official warned.

 

Govt not interested in parliamentary polls: Senators

Nov 24 2015
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some Mesharano Jirga members on Tuesday said the government was not willing to hold parliamentary and district council elections, stressing increased pressure on the regime to conduct the ballots.

Senator Gul Ahmad Azami said they had recently a meeting with the president, in which they found the government unwillingness to conduct the elections visible.

He said if more pressure was not exerted on the government, the elections to the lower house might not take place in next two years.

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