KABUL - The Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials said Sunday that the assessment process regarding the proposal by a UAE-based company to supply all electronic equipment for elections will be finalized on Monday.
Officials said the UAE company, Prologix, was the only company that met the quotation deadline for the $16 million USD project.
According to the election commission officials, organizations overseeing the election process have also been consulted regarding the assessment of the proposal.
Last month, the IEC along with the National Procurement Authority (NPA) put out a request to handpicked companies for quotations for all electronic equipment for next year’s elections. However, according to the IEC only one company, Prologix, met the submission deadline.
However, a number of election commission officials have said they do not want a deal with Prologix to go ahead. Others were however in favor of an agreement with the company.
In addition, some commissioners and oversight institutions have said the company does not meet all criteria needed to secure the contract.
But the election commission’s spokesman Abdul Bade Sayad on Sunday said a committee is assessing Prologix’s proposal and once this process is complete, they will decide on whether to award the contract to the UAE company or not.
Sayad also said the tension and disagreements between the commissioners have been resolved and no problem will remain in the IEC in this regard.
“Disagreements have been resolved and we are waiting for the committee’s decision on the company,” said Sayad.
The Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA), which has a representative on the assessment committee, has said Prologix does not meet the required criteria and have recommended the IEC find a more suitable company to deal with.
“We as the observer decided that the company is not eligible. Let’s see what the election commission’s decision will be,” FEFA executive director Yusuf Rasheed said.
Some other election watchdog organizations meanwhile said government is involved in issues that should only be dealt with by the IEC.
“Government stepped in over the buying of equipment for the election commission. Based on the election law, this is an obvious interference in the election commission’s affairs,” Habibullah Shinwari, a member of Afghanistan Election Watch said.

The Independent Election Commission came under sharp criticism last month over the Prologix affair as it reportedly sent letters out to hand-picked companies rather than putting it out for public tender.  (Pajhwok)