Afghan election 'set for August'
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Afghanistan's Election Commission has rejected President Hamid Karzai's call for an April presidential vote, saying it will take place on 20 August, reports BBC.
The head of the commission said it was not possible to hold the vote earlier. Elections were due by May, when Mr Karzai's term ends, but postponed to August to allow more time to overcome security and logistical problems.
Mr Karzai's opponents, plus the US, Nato and the UN, have all rejected his moves to bring the vote forward.
The president's term of office ends on 21 May, potentially creating a constitutional crisis if polls are held much later.
According to Article 61 of Afghanistan's constitution, elections should be held 30 to 60 days before 22 May, the end of Mr Karzai's five-year term.
Mr Karzai issued a decree at the weekend calling for the poll to be moved forward to April to comply with the constitution.
"Due to the weather, security, budgetary and technical problems that we have, the elections cannot be held on the basis of the presidential decree," news agency Reuters quoted Azizullah Ludin, the head of government-appointed Election Commission, as saying.
International monitors have also said it would be difficult to hold a fair election by April for similar reasons.
The US and other members of the international community support the commission's recommendation for an August poll, as the 17,000 foreign troops expected to bolster peacekeeping forces can be used to secure voting stations from the Taleban, reports say.
The commission's announcement confirms its original call made in January for the election to be postponed until August.
The head of the commission said it was not possible to hold the vote earlier. Elections were due by May, when Mr Karzai's term ends, but postponed to August to allow more time to overcome security and logistical problems.
Mr Karzai's opponents, plus the US, Nato and the UN, have all rejected his moves to bring the vote forward.
The president's term of office ends on 21 May, potentially creating a constitutional crisis if polls are held much later.
According to Article 61 of Afghanistan's constitution, elections should be held 30 to 60 days before 22 May, the end of Mr Karzai's five-year term.
Mr Karzai issued a decree at the weekend calling for the poll to be moved forward to April to comply with the constitution.
"Due to the weather, security, budgetary and technical problems that we have, the elections cannot be held on the basis of the presidential decree," news agency Reuters quoted Azizullah Ludin, the head of government-appointed Election Commission, as saying.
International monitors have also said it would be difficult to hold a fair election by April for similar reasons.
The US and other members of the international community support the commission's recommendation for an August poll, as the 17,000 foreign troops expected to bolster peacekeeping forces can be used to secure voting stations from the Taleban, reports say.
The commission's announcement confirms its original call made in January for the election to be postponed until August.