The deputy head of the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) Humaira Haqmal has accused the head of the IECC and two commissioners of trying to sabotage the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections. 

She said she has asked the Attorney General’s Office to help with a 10-page letter to address the problem.

Haqmal said the firing of five IECC officials was a “political plot”. 

She said that the IECC chief Abdul Aziz Aryaee has misused his responsibilities.

“Three individuals have created a triangle and unfortunately they are trying to sabotage the upcoming elections and the efforts to regain the people in the process. These individuals have carried out a coup,” she said.

Five IECC officials were sacked by the head of the commission earlier this week reportedly after ignoring the laws and standing in the way of reforms being brought in the electoral body.

“I rejected their decision, but they got the financial authorities from me and also they got the authorities of the head of secretariat and head of administrative and financial affairs to prevent us from giving back the privileges of the (sacked) officials,” Haqmal said.

Yusuf Rasheed, head of Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan, said the rift in the IECC reveals a weak management in the electoral organizations.

“How can they overcome the cases and complaints of elections when the chairman and his deputy cannot solve the issue of five employees, and when they back them? This shows that they have a weak leadership,” he said.

According to the IECC’s official letter to the Attorney General’s Office and to the Presidential Palace, the firing of five officials of the commission has been termed as being in violation of the law. 

Aryaee has not commented on the remarks despite many attempts to him.