On Thursday, just three days before the start of the campaign season, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) reiterated a number of regulations governing what candidates can and cannot do as they vie for public support.
Presidential campaigning begins on February 2, and will see eleven contenders make their big push to build support for their candidacies before election day on April 5.
"Until now, the coordination between the candidates and the IEC has moved forward successfully in a positive manner," IEC Secretariat Chief Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhail said. "We hope that the candidates conduct their campaigns peacefully and ethically."
Although many civil society groups have emphasized the importance of the campaigns being substance-driven - focused on policies and platforms rather than ethnicity and language - the IEC devoted its attention on Thursday to the financial and material regulations it has imposed on the campaigns.
Based on the Election Law, Presidential candidates are allowed to spend 10 million AFG.
"The topic of campaigns expenditures is also an issue, the candidates shouldn't spend more than 10 million AFG and they should accurately report on their expenditures to the Election Commission," Amarkhail said.
The Kabul Minicipality has warned the candidates that they can only paste their campaign posters, signs and related materials to the particular places in the capital if they wish to avoid cash fines.
"The posters should be pasted in particular areas, they are not allowed to be pasted on all walls, telephone stations, public places, otherwise, they will face legal action," Kabul Deputy Mayor Mohammad Naeem Khozhmna said. "We will remove their posters and they would receive cash fines - 100 AFG for smale posters and 500 AFG for larger ones."
According to reports from the candidates' camps, preparations have already been made and posters have been printed. In some cases, the election candidates had their materials prepared in neighboring Iran, Pakistan and even in Indonesia.
"The Presidential candidates prefer to print posters and banners in neighboring Iran, Pakistan and other countries, but Afghan printing presses are also able to print them," said Mohammad Hashim Fayq, the owner of a private printing press in Kabul.
Based on the Election Law, the Presidential election campaigns start on February 2 and will continue through March 13. The Provincial Council candidates will be be allowed to start their election campaigns on March 4 and continue through April 2.