PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): After four weeks of being sworn in, Baghlan provincial council (PC) members could not elect their administrative head, residents complained on Wednesday.

However, provincial election commission head Amanullah Habibi told Pajhwok Afghan News the PC members had elected Firozuddin Aimaq and Samiuddin Nazer as their deputy head and secretary respectively.

Out of 155 candidates who contested the April 5 elections in Baghlan, 12 men and three women made it to the provincial council.

All members came together to elect their administrative board on Tuesday but failed to reach consensus.

Habibi said the council was divided because of one suspect vote for electing their head and when they could not reach an agreement half of the members walked out of the session

Safdar Mohseni, a member of the council, blamed the election commission for its weak management of board polls. He said half of the members were not attending the sessions and it was the commission’s job to bring them back.

Residents complained the candidates had promised to fight against corruption and bring about good governance in their province, but they could not elect even their own head.

Niazullah said “We voted for the candidates so that they could help us, but they have wasted one month on their administrative board elections.” He asked PC members to set aside their differences and start working.

Last month, the losing candidates staged protests and accused the election authorities of fraud in the ballot. They closed the main highway for three hours.

hg/mud