Failed Afghan parliament candidates demonstrate in front of the presidential palace in the capital, Kabul. (File photo)
Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) has decided to expel nine lawmakers from the parliament after nearly a year-long dispute over vote rigging allegations.
The Sunday decision came after a ruling by a special court set up by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to investigate alleged electoral fraud by 62 parliamentarians, AFP reported.
After the court handed down the ruling, Karzai charged IEC with the responsibility to resolve the issue. The commission finally decided to oust nine lawmakers.
IEC Head Fazl Ahmad Manawi said on Sunday that the body will send nine new lawmakers from eight provinces to the parliament.
Meanwhile, the second deputy speaker of parliament's lower house has slammed the decision, saying any change to the composition of the parliament is illegal.
Claiming to be speaking on behalf of the majority lawmakers, he warned that the decision could spark more street protests.
Wrangling over legitimacy of nearly one-quarter of the lawmakers in the country's 249-seat lower house has stalled the country's parliament for months.
The issue has so far prompted large protests on the streets of Kabul in recent weeks.
Days after the September 2010 parliamentary votes, allegations of fraud emerged with officials citing "electoral violations and irregularities" and security problems.
The 2010 elections were held amid militant attacks on several polling stations and wide-spread threats by the Taliban to disturb the vote.
Some officials have said the presence of foreign forces is the main obstacle to holding free and fair elections in the war-ravaged country.
SS/JR/HJL
Posted in: NEWS
