The United Nations Assistance Mission (UNAMA) welcomed the decision by Independent Election Commission (IEC) for the additional audit of a number of polling stations in runoff presidential election.
“The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomes the decision of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to launch an additional, ongoing audit of a number of polling stations in the second round of the Presidential election in which the total number of ballots cast was 599 or higher,” UNAMA said following a statement.
The statement further added, “UNAMA encourages the IEC to implement further measures that could enhance the transparency, neutrality and impartiality of the electoral process, and separate and reject fraudulent ballots from valid votes.”
This comes as the IEC officials said Wednesday that the release of preliminary vote results for the runoff presidential election has been delayed to ensure transparency in vote counting process.
IEC chief, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, said the preliminary results are expected to be released on coming Monday.
In the meantime, the UN mission in Afghanistan said welcomes the IEC’s re-scheduling of the announcement of the second round’s preliminary results to Monday, 7 July.
“In line with the Security Council’s presidential statement adopted after its meeting on Afghanistan on 25 June, UNAMA looks forward to the conclusion of the electoral process in accordance with the relevant laws and mandates of the electoral institutions and the orderly transition to a new administration,” the statement said.
