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IEC, Foreign Donors Agree on Digital Registration of Voters

The IEC and foreign donors have agreed that the voter registration process will be a digital undertaking.

The agreement came after a series of consultations which will help strengthen the transparency and credibility of elections, Wasima Badghisi, IEC operational deputy chief told TOLOnews on Sunday.

Last week,  the international community pledged $63 million in aid to help the Afghan election management body with the digital registration of voters.

Alongside the international donors, the Afghan government has promised the IEC to provide funds for the parliamentary and district council elections that are scheduled for July 7 next year.

“The voter list is a step towards transparency. Before the elections voters will go to the polling stations to get registered digitally,” said Badghisi.

Meanwhile, election monitoring groups and observers have hailed the agreement between the IEC and the donors, however they have raised concerns over possible meddling in the process by politicians.

“While there is no unanimous view among our politicians about the elections, we cannot expect the technical work to move in the right direction,” Jandad Spinghar, head of Afghan Civil Society Election Network said.

“The activities of the IEC have disappointed us,” said Habibullah Shinwari, a member of the Election Watch Afghanistan.

In response to possible interference in the elections, the IEC has reassured Afghans that it is committed to holding the poll on the scheduled date and will not allow politicians or anyone else to interfere in the process.

“As we head closer to the election deadline, some people may think of their own interests, but the commission is committed to preserving its independence,” Badghisi said.

The Afghan government has also pledged to take all possible measures to ensure a transparent elections.

“There is a political will within government to hold the election and also Afghanistan’s international friends have shown readiness to support the process,” CEO spokesman, Mujib Rahman Rahimi said.

IEC, Foreign Donors Agree on Digital Registration of Voters

The agreement on the digital registration of voters would be a milestone in the history of Afghanistan’s elections and in the wake of 2014's controversial elections

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The IEC and foreign donors have agreed that the voter registration process will be a digital undertaking.

The agreement came after a series of consultations which will help strengthen the transparency and credibility of elections, Wasima Badghisi, IEC operational deputy chief told TOLOnews on Sunday.

Last week,  the international community pledged $63 million in aid to help the Afghan election management body with the digital registration of voters.

Alongside the international donors, the Afghan government has promised the IEC to provide funds for the parliamentary and district council elections that are scheduled for July 7 next year.

“The voter list is a step towards transparency. Before the elections voters will go to the polling stations to get registered digitally,” said Badghisi.

Meanwhile, election monitoring groups and observers have hailed the agreement between the IEC and the donors, however they have raised concerns over possible meddling in the process by politicians.

“While there is no unanimous view among our politicians about the elections, we cannot expect the technical work to move in the right direction,” Jandad Spinghar, head of Afghan Civil Society Election Network said.

“The activities of the IEC have disappointed us,” said Habibullah Shinwari, a member of the Election Watch Afghanistan.

In response to possible interference in the elections, the IEC has reassured Afghans that it is committed to holding the poll on the scheduled date and will not allow politicians or anyone else to interfere in the process.

“As we head closer to the election deadline, some people may think of their own interests, but the commission is committed to preserving its independence,” Badghisi said.

The Afghan government has also pledged to take all possible measures to ensure a transparent elections.

“There is a political will within government to hold the election and also Afghanistan’s international friends have shown readiness to support the process,” CEO spokesman, Mujib Rahman Rahimi said.

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