- publish: 29 December 2015
- time: 7:09 pm
- category: Politics
- No: 2812
“Parliamentary election to be held in next summer”
President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, in separate meetings with members of the Electoral Reform Commission (ERC), on Tuesday welcomed the second package of recommendations of electoral reforms and called for a swift start to the selection committee’s work.
Ghani, in his meeting with ERC members, called for rapid reforms in electoral bodies and in the holding of parliamentary and district council elections, Tolo News reported.
“The [parliamentary] election will be held between next summer and fall,” Ghani said.
“The important issue is that reforms will be brought and the election date will be announced by the new leadership of the Independent Election Commission.”
He directed the selection committee to start its work as soon as possible.
“Starting your [selection committee] work will be the first step in bringing reforms in the electoral process. You should start your work seriously in order to bring basic reforms in electoral bodies,” Ghani said.
Meanwhile, members of the selection committee said they will start their work within the next few days.
“The president vowed that government will not interfere in selection committee’s affairs and will prepare the ground for its work,” said Fahim Dashti, one member of the committee.
“President Ghani stressed to bring basic reforms in elections and also he vowed that honest and talented figures will be appointed in electoral bodies,” said Sediqullah Tawhidi, deputy chief of Electoral Reforms Commission.
According to law, the selection committee should introduce 21 members for the Independent Election Commission and 15 members for Independent Electoral Complaints Commission.