The Independent Elections Commission (IEC) has begun the ballot printing process for the upcoming elections, one of the commission's most important tasks, according to officials.
Head of the IEC's Secretariat Zia-ul-haq Amarkhail said that the printing process would be arduous. With 11 Presidential candidates and 2,713 Provincial Council candidates in the running, the quality of the ballots is all the more important, according to Amarkhail.
"We are taking preparations for printing vote ballots and purchasing of necessary supplies," Amarkhail said. "Also, we are starting to recruit employees."
The IEC representative went on to say that if the ballots are not properly printed, there could be confusion come election day. It would also be likely that flawed ballots could enable electoral fraud.
The credibility of the upcoming elections is tenuous, and vulnerable. After the 2009 elections left a bad taste in most Afghans' mouths, with widespread and well-documented electoral improprieties, next year's April elections have heightened pressure on them as the country nears the NATO troop withdraw.
Security of the elections is said to be a critical issue. According to Amarkhail, security institutions have secured and readied nearly 7,000 voting centers and plan to hand over a final list of usable sites to the IEC on January 5.
He also spoke about election monitors as well.
"The IEC is working with candidates for better cooperation in regards to their observers. Talks are still ongoing with the civil society," Amarkhail said.