KABUL - The commission charged with dealing with electoral complaints stemming from Afghanistan’s recent Presidential election today announced that a total of 121 complaints have been registered with it in relation to the poll’s preliminary results.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) released the preliminary results of the 5 April presidential elections last Saturday. The Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) is tasked with adjudicating electoral complaints from the polls; only after the adjudication is completed will the IEC announce the final results.

“The Complaints Commission has categorized the complaints and eight of them relate to the invalidation of 525 cases by the IEC, and these were not integrated in the preliminary results of the Presidential elections,” the IECC spokesperson, Nadir Mohsini, told a press conference in the capital, Kabul.

According to the law, Mr. Mohsini added, these eight complaints will now be addressed, within a 48-hour period, in IECC-organized open meetings which start tomorrow. The meetings will be conducted in the presence of representatives from the media and national and international observers. As well, the IECC has asked the candidates to nominate representatives to take part in its open meetings. The remaining complaints will also be dealt with in open meetings in the coming days.

The IECC spokesperson said that out of the 121 complaints, 115 were submitted on behalf of candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, four on behalf of candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, one on behalf of candidate Mohammad Dawood Sultanzoi and another one on behalf of candidate Mohammad Shafiq Gul Agha Sherzai.

“Decisions on these complaints will be taken in the open meetings of the IECC through a transparent process,” said Mr. Mohsini. “And the IEC will be informed.”

He also mentioned that the IECC has asked the IEC to submit any relevant materials in support of its decision regarding invalidation of the 525 cases, while Presidential candidates have been asked to provide supporting material to support their claims.

In a statement earlier this week, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomed the release of preliminary results from the Presidential elections as an important step towards the announcement of final results.

“The Afghan electoral institutions should be commended for their work to make the process more transparent than ever before," said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Ján Kubiš. "They should also be commended for their efforts to protect the integrity of the election process and the votes of the people, while doing their utmost to work in accordance with the electoral timetable.”

Mr. Kubiš further said that it was now of fundamental importance that the IECC continues to carry out its obligations to address complaints, notably related to the preliminary results in a professional, expeditious and open manner.