1100 Introduced to Electoral Complaints Commission

More than one thousand poll workers accused of fraud have been unoffically introduced to ECC, Independent Election Commission said on Saturday

The spokesman to IEC, Noor Mohammad Noor, said the 1100 poll workers have been unofficially introduced to the Electoral Complaints Commission, but they will soon be re-introduced officially, without elaborating further on the difference between official and unofficial introductions.

Mr Noor added that the IEC is trying to gather all the information about those involved in electoral fraud and violations, to make it public.

"Around 1100 people who worked for IEC for short periods have been unofficially introduced to the ECC on suspision of being involved in electoral fraud and violation," said Noor Mohammad Noor.

While the Attorney General's Office says 11 people have been arrested on charges of electoral fraud, the IEC spokesman emphasises that nothing can now change anything after final results announcement.

Mr Noor said if the Attorney General's Office wants to investigate about any crime-related cases, the IEC is ready to cooperate.

After the final results of the Afghan parliamentary poll were announced recently, some of the loosing candidates and their supporter took to the streets in a number of provinces including the Capital, Kabul, to protest against the announcement. They contintued their protests for several days, calling for a cancellation of votes.

The Attorney General's Office repeatedly warned the IEC to let the organisation do an investigation before annoucing the final results. But the IEC insisted on the transparency of its work, and defied the warnings of the Attorney General's Office by announcing the final results and even distributing certification letters to the winning candidates.