A number of Presidential Candidates and their Vice Presidents welcome the recent report on Security of the polling centers. These candidates consider security of close to 94% on the elections day,as reported by the government, a big step towards widespread election participation. They further ask the security institutions to prove the report true.
"As you are aware, this year's elections are held in a very sensitive period of history. I hope that our security institutions will be able to take security of all the voting centers. Because a transparent vote will ensure the legitimacy of elections," said Qayoum Karzai, a presidential candidate.
Sardar Muhammad Nader Naeem, another candidate, also welcomed the report and said that election transparency depends on security.
"I hope promises that were made yesterday are serious and will be implemented," Naeem said.
Habeeba Surabi, Vice President to Presidential Candidate Zalmai, Rassoul has said that submission of the report has increased hopes for transparent elections in Afghanistan.
"There is still time, our demand from security institutions is to work further on this issue and try harder. We believe in security institutions for maintaining elections security," Surabi said.
Said Hussain Alemi Balkhi, Vice President to Presidential Candidate Gul Agha Sherzai, has said tha, if the report has been exaggerated by the security institutions, candidates won't be able to send their observers to insecure parts of the country.
"If observers can't go to certain parts, it means that chances for a healthy election don't exist. Independent Elections Commission must guarantee based on their diagnosis. They should send the ballot boxes wherever is secured," Balkhi said.
Meanwhile, Independent Elections Commission has reported printing of 28 million voting ballots in Dubai, UAE, scheduled to be delivered to the IEC office in three days. IEC further reports of transfer of its equipment and tools to five zones of the country.
"Ballots have been printed outside Afghanistan, it is all completed. There are around 14 million ballots for the presidential elections and another 14 for the provincial council elections and are to be sent to the IEC office on 15th of January," said Noor Muhammad Noor, IEC Spokesman.
With 82 days to the elections, there are concerns regarding interference of powerful individuals and use of forged voting cards.