The Independent Election Commission (IEC) said Saturday that the delayed parliamentary elections in central Ghazni province will be held in October next year.

Addressing a press conference, Hawa Alam Nuristani, the chairperson of the IEC, stated that the provincial council, municipal, and parliamentary elections will be held in Ghazni simultaneously.

The parliamentary elections were held on October 28, 2018, but elections in Ghazni were canceled due to security issues.

Nuristani meanwhile urged the government to provide the budget and maintain security around the process.

“Operational plans for Ghazni and the provincial council was submitted to the Presidential Palace. The elections are set to be held in Mizan, 1400, Persian Calendar, (October 2021). We have signed the document of the project with UNAMA.

Nuristani said the problems that besieged the 2018 elections will be prevented from recurring during next year’s elections.

The IEC stated that election results would be announced after the first round.

“No changes have been made in Ghazni elections and it will take place as it was planned. The elections will not have a second round, and the election budget will be much lower than the previous elections,” a member of the IEC, Maulana Mohammad Abdullah said.

The IEC stated that elections in Ghazni would cost $19 million while the rest of the elections would cost $80 million.

Habiburrahman Nang, head of the IEC secretariat stated: “$19 million has been allocated for Ghazni and another $80 million for provincial and district council elections, but this budget is not final and changes could be brought. We have the support of our partners, including the government and UNAMA, and our meetings are ongoing.”