A number of upper house members on Sunday claimed that some provincial council candidates on the preliminary list released last week by the Independent Election Commission were illiterate.
The list features 2,395 of the 3,056 wannabes for provincial council seats, including 323 women. The process of submitting complaints against candidates began with the announcement of the initial list.
During Sunday’s Senate session, a public representative from southern Zabul province accused the election commission of pursuing double standards in short-listing candidates.
Mohammad Daud Hasas, without naming anyone, claimed the IEC list included provincial council runners who could not read or write.
“People who haven’t gone to school but have got fake certificates have their names on the list. But those who have graduated from universities and are known internationally have been excluded from it,” he alleged.
The senator asked the election panel to demonstrate neutrality and avoid defaming leading figures through its double standards.
His colleague from Farah province, Gul Ahmad Azimi, remarked: “Rank illiterates are on the list, which doesn’t include educated individuals.” The IEC had either resorted to hypocrisy or had failed to properly scrutinize candidates’ documents.”
Neighbouring countries were opposed to transparent elections in Afghanistan, he said, accusing Iran and Pakistan of issuing fake intermediate certificates to a number of runners.
Bismillah Afghanmal, a lawmaker from Kandahar province, said: “At the very outset of the electoral process, people have flooded us with complaints. What will happen in the end?”
Other members held similar views, stressing the need for improving the security situation ahead of elections. If the polls were held in an environment of insecurity, the future government would be devoid of legitimacy, they argued.
Deputy Chairman Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, who chaired the session, asked the IEC to treat all contenders equally and investigate their documents minutely.
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