New election commissioners in Afghanistan take oath

After weeks of political wrangling in Afghanistan, new election commissions took oath on Monday as the government gears-up for landmark presidential polls in the war-ravaged country.

The oath taking ceremony took place in the presence of President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani at the presidency. The president underlined the Kabul government’s resolve to hold “fair and inclusive elections on time.

The presidential elections are due in July. All presidential candidates took part in the voting process to elect the commissioners last week.

“These commissioners have the endorsement of all political parties and civil society, and all the allegations of intrusion or their (commissioners) association with any group have been set aside,” Ghani said.

The president called on the new election commissioners to conclude results of the parliamentary polls that was held in October last year.

The former election commissioners are under investigation and they are barred from traveling abroad.

Last month, Ghani had dismissed the previous election commission officials with amended electoral laws aimed at reforms just months before the presidential polls.

Ghani had charged the electoral commission of failing to earn the trust of the masses by not ensuring fair parliamentary elections.

The former commissioners blamed the government for “intruding” and “politicizing” the process.

The fate of the presidential polls has been uncertain amid fast-track talks for peace between the U.S. and the Taliban. The Taliban continue to neglect the current Afghan government as a legitimate one.