The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Wednesday said that the Commission will not open registration centers in five districts of the Ghazni, Nuristan, Zabul and Helmand provinces.
The Head of IEC, Fazl Ahmad Manawee said that Waigal, Nawa, Khak-e-Afghan, Disho and Bughran are the districts where registration centres will not be opened because of security threats. The decision was taken on the basis of a security report sent by security organizations.
Fazl Ahmad Manawee said that the Afghan security organizations have sent a letter to the Commission saying that these districts are not under the Government's control. Therefore, opening registration centres in these districts would be impossible.
"The registrations centers will not be opened in five districts of Ghazni, Nuristan, Zabul, and Helmand provinces due to security reasons. The letter that we received today (Wednesday) stated that these districts are not under the Government's control. Therefore, providing security for these districts is impossible," Fazl Ahamd Manawee told TOLOnews.
The Head of IEC said that even though lack of security is a big challenge for the Presidential election but with good coordination the 2014 elections can be conducted smoothly.
"There are some groups that are trying to disturb the election process but the Commission will never permit anyone to do so. We have the entire necessary action plan ready to conduct the election peacefully," Fazl Ahamd Manawee added while speaking to TOLOnews.
Afghanistan's Presidential and Provincial Council elections will be held on 5 April 2014 (16 Hamal 1393) but still debates over the Law of Governing of the IEC and ECC and the Election Law is continuing.
Security and absence of exact population census are the basic challenges for the upcoming elections in Afghanistan.