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| Afghanistan |
| Afghan commission invalidates fraud ballots |
| 2009-09-11 |
| [Iran Press TV Latest] Afghanistan's Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) has scrapped ballots from dozens of polling stations because of "clear and convincing evidence of fraud". The ECC ordered for the first time that ballots be invalidated from 83 polling stations in Paktika, Kandahar and Ghazni provinces. "In the course of its investigations, the ECC has found clear and convincing evidence of fraud" in a number of polling stations in the southeastern provinces of Paktika and Ghazni," it said in a statement on its website. The areas had largely backed President Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan presidential election on 20 August. Investigations in Ghazni found indications of fraud including miscounted ballots, including missing materials and fictitious card numbers. Figures released after the latest vote count by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Tuesday showed Karzai getting 54.1 percent of the vote. Karzai moves into a clear lead in the country's protracted presidential contest, passing the key 50% threshold needed to avoid a run-off. However, the vote has been marred by low turnout and widespread allegations of vote-rigging and Taliban intimidation. |
| Posted by:Fred |