[ Afghan Elections 2004-2005 ]

The Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) has stated that the vote-counting process to determine the results of Afghanistan's first direct popular election has been postponed to investigate allegations that illegal ballots were cast, Radio Afghanistan reported on 11 October. According to the JEMB, the UN is setting up an independent commission to investigate the charges of fraud made by most of the 16 presidential candidates, AFP reported on 12 October. The commission will include a former Canadian diplomat and an as-yet-unnamed Swedish electoral expert as a third member. Candidates who have questions about the election are required to submit their written complaints by 12 October. The charges of fraud, manly stemming from either the quality of the ink used to mark voters to prevent multiple voting or the use of the wrong pen, has placed the success of the election, which featured a large voter turnout and no large-scale violence, in doubt. (Amin Tarzi)