Angry residents and members of provincial council in Kunduz on Thursday criticized the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) over its decision to disqualify an election candidate from the province from the final list of nominees. 

They also sent a letter to the IECC to express their anger over the move. 

The angry residents closed the provincial office of the IECC in Kunduz.

The protestors accused the IECC of nepotism in its decisions, but the IECC has hit out over the allegations, saying it has taken the decision based on the law of the country and the election law. 

The disqualified candidate is known as Ajmal Shahpoor. 

“We want the commission to respond to our demand and explain that why this young candidate has been dropped from the list? Land grabbers weren’t disqualified, but this youth who is a defender of human rights and democracy has been removed from the list,” said Turyalai Kakar, member of Kunduz Provincial Council. 

“We will not allow this young man who is a representative of Kunduz people to be disqualified,” another member of the council, Khosh Mohammad Nusratyar, said.

The protestors said the IECC even did not provide the opportunity to the disqualified candidates to defend themselves.

“A individual who works for human rights and democracy, his names is dropped from the list by the electoral complaints commission and it is a shameful move,” said a resident of Kunduz city Wahidullah Rahmani.

“The closure of the office (of IECC) and other problems can create obstacles on the way of elections,” said Yousuf Rashid, chairman Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan. “It is better that the people lodge their complaints to the commissions and both government and election commission need to address these issues so that negative impacts are not on holding the elections.” 

The IECC has said that enough time was given to all candidates to defend their case.

The committee of the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC), assigned for investigation of possible links of some candidates with illegal armed groups, said last week that 25 names have been dropped from the parliamentary elections candidates’ list. 

Abdul Basir Faiz, member the committee, said seven other possible candidates received notices and 27 others received warring that if they are proved to have links with irresponsible gunmen, they will be removed from the final list.

The IECC is expected to disqualify candidates who are involved in security issues, coordinated crimes, drug smuggling, and misuse of public and private assets.