KABUL - The Independent Election Commission (IEC) said on Friday that early campaigning for parliamentary elections is in contravention of the election law. The commission said those candidates who continue early campaigns will be treated based on the law which includes warning, fine and disqualification.
“They will be treated according to the law which includes from warning and fine to disqualification of a candidate,” said Sayed Hafizullah Hashemi, head of IEC secretariat.
Electoral monitoring organizations said installing photos on street banners for electoral campaigns before the timeline of the campaigns is in contravention of the law.
“The election commission, unfortunately, has not realized so far that these activities are counted as illegal campaigns,” said Naeem Asghari, an official of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan.
Kabul residents meanwhile said photos of candidates on street banners, bill boards and walls are mostly belonged to parliamentary candidates.
The residents said the photos are installed on street banners to wish a happy Eid or Independence Day, but the slogans on them indicate that candidates are campaigning for elections.
“This is a type of campaign for gaining people’s votes. In general, we can say it is deceiving the people,” said Ehsanullah, a Kabul resident.
“The pictures and posters have been installed around the city and are apparently for Eid and contain national unity slogans, but in fact they are all for campaigning,” said Ali Iqbal, a Kabul resident.
Based on elections timeline, the parliamentary elections’ campaigns will start on September 28 and will continue for 20 days.
The campaigns will slow down on 18th and 19th of October and elections will be held on October 20. (Tolo news)