FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Residents of northeastern Badakhshan province said missing of names from voter lists, too many observers and no knowledge about biometrics use hugely challenged the voting process there.
Some women and men who were standing in long queues, said the too many candidates’ observers faced the election process with a huge challenge in the province.
Saifuddin Sais, a civil society activist, told Pajhwok Afghan News the presence of 20 observers at a polling station slowed down IEC regional workers’ work.
He said biometric system did not work in most of the polling stations and lack of knowledge about their use also contributed to the situation.
Hussina, a voter, at Sang Mehro School at Faizabad, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok that she waited for two hours to vote, but when turn came, her name was missing the voter list. She returned home hopeless.
However, Sayed Rohullah Musavi, IEC head for Badakhshan, told Pajhwok that the voting process was underway in 237 polling stations and technical problem in the biometric system had also been solved.
However, he said the presence of a large number of observers with candidates had hampered the process.