Election Supportive Institutions Seriously Criticize IEC Slow Progress

Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA) and Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) the election supportive institutions have seriously criticized the slow progress by the Independent Election Commission (IEC).

According to the Electoral observing and monitoring institutions the new commissioners are wasting the time and have not taken any practical step for the upcoming elections so far.

“The slow process of working in election commissions is not in interest of the election process and will cause to have no transparent election for the next year, the commissions should seriously go forward,” said Naeem Ayoub Zada, chairman of TEFA.

The lack of high capacity in election commissions, the inexperienced new commissioner and technical challenges are the main factors for the slow progress in the election commissions.

“Beside the slow progress, even the activities of the new commissioners is not clear,” said Naeem Asghari, head of FEFA programs.

Many believe that the continuation of wasting the time will be an obstacle for transparency, but the influence and involvement of political groups in electoral affairs is another alarming issue.

“The main concern is the interventions of political groups in inside and outside of the electoral commissions, but the commissioners should maintain their neutrality,” said Jan Dad Sping Ghar, chairman of the Afghanistan Integrity Election.

The new commissioners do not comment about their plans and programs but the demands are that they should focus on reforms and announce the time of upcoming election.

Reported by Baes Hayat