KABUL (Pajhwok): Some Wolesi Jirga members have welcomed the removal of members of the election commissions and demanded re-election of the lower house simultaneously with presidential election this year.
Addressing reports, over one  hundred Wolesi Jirga members, warned against the worst consequences after the announcement of final result of all provinces for the October 20 election and demand halt of the ongoing election process and conduct of fresh lower house poll together with the presidential election in July this year.
They claimed of holding enough evidence to prove that the Wolesi Jirga polls were rigged and fraudulent asked the Attorney General Office, the country’s top prosecuting body, to launch investigation into alleged rigging and punish individual involved in fraud and illegal practices.
They also demanded to the president to invalidate the final result of some province announced by the previous commissioner and also scraped the remaining final results of 18 provinces.
Saleh Mohammad, a lawmaker from Herat, said improper administration of election process resulted in massive rigging and fraud.
“The masses participated in election with zeal and enthusasim, but election officials in Kabul and province committed fraud to favour particular individuals against receiving massive bribe,” he said.
Niamatullah Ghafari, another lawmaker from Helmand province, welcomed the president decision to remove the members of election body and asked the Attorney General Office to investigate alleged criminals impartially.
On Tuesday, President Ashraf Ghani decreed the dismissal of the electrion commissioners. The president said: “Heads and other members of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) are dismissed after amendments to the electoral law are ratified and approved.”
The presidential decree provided no further details, but asked political parties registered with the Ministry of Justice and civil society institutes to introduce new eligible members for the commissions within seven days, starting from February 16, according to the article 13 of the new electoral law.
The dismissal of the election commissioners comes following chaotic Wolesi Jirga polls on October 20 and 21 across 32 provinces.
The IEC announced initial Wolesi Jirga election results after a three-month delay and final results from only 18 provinces have so far been announced.
Yousuf Rashid, head of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan.
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