As polling places closed and vote counting began Saturday evening, the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) said it had registered well over 100 complaints regarding electoral violations. The commission urged election observers to stay through the end of the process in order to ensure greater transparency.
According to ECC Chairman Abdul Satar Saadat, 118 official complaints have been registered by form and an additional 144 by phone. All together, the numbers are lower than the first round Election Day complaint figures, but election officials expect more to be filed in the coming days.
ECC spokesman Nader Mohseni discussed the nature of the complaints received so far, though he refrained from going into much detail. "The complaints include interference of local officials and other powerful individuals in the process, lack of sufficient ballot papers and low quality of ink."
There is now a 48-hour window for complaints to be registered before the commission will begin the initial stages of its review and investigations process. The assessments are supposed to be completed within 10 days of the end of the 48-hour window. Once the ECC has made its rulings on the complaints, its findings will be forwarded on to the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and factored into the election's results.
ECC officials emphasized the importance of election monitors continuing to be vigilant during remainder of the Election Day process, particularly as polling site operators begin to count ballots.
"We ask all election monitoring institutions to observe the process from the beginning to the end in order to ensure more transparency," Mohseni said.
During the first round', the ECC received criticism from some observers who said the commission refused them access to critical parts of the complaints review and investigation process.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/2188
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