Kabul, August 31: Major fraud complaints in the Afghan Presidential election have surged to nearly 700, raising concern that the volume of cases that must be investigated will delay announcement of a winner and formation of a new government.
President Hamid Karzai is leading with 46.2 percent of votes from the August 20 ballot, followed by ex-foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah with 31.4 percent, according to official figures from 35 percent of the polling stations. Karzai must win over half the votes to avoid a run-off.
Final results cannot be certified until the election complaint commission finishes investigating all major fraud allegations. Officials had hoped to release the final tally by Sept. 17, but the huge number of complaints makes that unlikely.
The commission said on Sunday it had received 691 ”Category A” fraud allegations–more than double the 270 major complaints reported two days before.
Collectively, the complaints– if true– would cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election, dashing Obama administration hopes that the balloting would produce a credible government capable of confronting the Taliban threat, corruption and the flourishing narcotics trade.
–Agencies