HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Resuming their protest against the electoral bodies, losing provincial council candidates and their supporters on Wednesday erected tents in front of the governor’s office in western Herat province.

The protestors accused the two electoral commissions of committing fraud during the April elections and warned that they would not let the winners to be sworn-in unless their voices were heard.

They called for a thorough investigation into fraud allegations, otherwise they would continue their protest.

Bashir Ahmad, a resident of the Shindand district, said he would defend the vote he had cast for the candidate of choice till last breath. “If our votes are not respected, we would block the Shindand-Murghab highway,” he warned.

Ghulam Rassoul, another protestor, claimed a number of runners, who actually bagged less than 2,000 votes, had been fraudulently included in the final list of winners with 7,000 votes.

He said ballot boxes throughout Herat should be reassessed and election officials involved in fraud should be punished.

Syed Jalaluddin Sherzad, a losing candidate, said documents showed he had collected 6,500 votes, but his name had been removed from the winners list.

He claimed a number of runners, who had been declared losers in the preliminary results, appeared winners in the final list by bribing election officials.

Another protester said some runners had 2,000 to 3,000 votes, but they were showed in the final list receiving 7000 to 8,000 votes. “With 7,400 votes, I was seventh on the list of winners in the preliminary results, but now I am placed 22nd with a reduced number of votes,” he complained.

Aseeluddin Jami, the deputy governor, held a meeting with the protestors and promised discussing the issue with the IEC office in Herat and in Kabul.

The protestors claimed four runners declared losers in the preliminary results had made it to the provincial council by offering bribes. “If our demands are not met, we will continue our protest,” the protesters said.

Dozens of people on Tuesday staged a rally in Herat City, calling the results as unsatisfactory and accusing the electoral commissions of fraud and rigging.

ra/ma