Afghan Youth Debates: New Tactics to Fight Poll Fraud in Kunduz

New measures introduced to prevent election fraud were explained to an audience of more than 100 at an April 3 debate organised by IWPR at Kunduz University in the north of Afghanistan.

Sayed Aref of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said his organisation had the power to quarantine a ballot box if, for instance, it contained more than 100 votes for a single candidate. After the box was sent to IEC headquarters in Kabul, a decision would then be made about whether to nullify its contents.

“This is good news for fraud prevention,” he said.

Aref also explained measures put in place to prevent any interference by local police, who had been accused of trying to skew previous votes.

With the province divided into different security zones, the Afghan National Police would form the first security ring, the Afghan National Army the second and the Afghan Local Police force the third, with no ability to access or interfere with voting.

“An extensive presence of observers and monitors is another good way to prevent fraud,” Aref added.

He added that the IEC had recruited around 3,500 temporary and permanent staff members in the province, and that police were able to guarantee security in all but three of the province’s polling centres.

“Luckily, the work is taking place according to plan and schedule without any problems. Our good coordination with security organisations, the media and monitoring institutions has led to this success,” he said.

Kunduz police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husseini said comprehensive security measures had been adopted together with the national army and national police, as well as in coordination with the IEC.

“We have come through three major stages so far – ensuring security at voter registration centres, ensuring security for election campaigns and candidates, and securing the transfer of basic materials and ballot boxes to the polling centres and the districts,” he said.

Nematollah Mobarez, a computer science student, pointed out that strongmen and tribal elders had in the past forced people to vote for their chosen candidates.

“Has any solution been considered for this problem this time?” he asked.

Husseini said that under Afghan electoral law, no one had the right to impose his opinion on others. If such attempts were made, the police would arrest the individuals responsible and they would be dealt with.

“People should have no fears in this regard, because there will be no one present when they put a tick against their candidate on the ballot paper. No one will find out who voters have chosen,” he said.

Anwarolhaq Amiri, a university lecturer, asked why it seemed calmer in Kunduz than in Kabul.

Husseini said Kabul province had a much larger population of about five million people, and attacks there were more highly prized by the insurgents because they led to greater news coverage.

Kabul was also nearer to Pakistan, and easier to access due to its many transport networks. By contrast, Kunduz was remote and harder for armed insurgents to penetrate, with its roads closely watched by police. That made it safer than Kabul.

Mohammad Isa Aria is a student at Kunduz University and an IWPR trainee.  

This report was produced as part of Open Minds: Speaking Up, Reaching Out – Promoting University and Youth Participation in Afghan Elections, an IWPR initiative funded by the US embassy in Kabul.