Despite the announcement of the final results, many doubt that the question has been settled.
 
With the publication of the final results of September’s Parliamentary elections, many expected that the long and bitter wrangling over vote counts and fraud would end. But the recent conflict between the Attorney General’s office and the Independent Election Commission (IEC) show that it may be some time before the new Parliament can begin its work.

After the IEC declared the results on November 24, a group of unsuccessful candidates staged major demonstrations in many locations, blocking highways for hours and causing widespread disruption. They were demanding new elections.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has harshly condemned the actions, and has urged the disgruntled candidates to take their complaints to the appropriate bodies.

But ever since preliminary results were announced in October, some losing candidates have been seeking redress, claiming that IEC officials had interfered in the process to bring their own chosen people to Parliament. The candidates sent their complaints to the Attorney General’s office, demanding that the prosecutor to take action.

The Attorney General’s Office began to investigate. When the IEC declared final results without waiting for the investigation to be completed, the prosecutor’s office termed the results “premature.” In addition, the Attorney General’s office criticized the United Nations and the European Union for their immediate endorsement of the results, insisting that there were still complaints that could have a significant effect on the final roster.

Mohammad Ishaq Aloko, the Attorney General, said that the results had not been confirmed, since the prosecutor’s office had not finished adjudicating the complaints it had received. Aloko added that he had credible evidence that there had been deals over Parliamentary seats.

The IEC, for its part, has maintained that it has sole responsibility for election results, and that no other government body can interfere.

But the Attorney General’s office is pursuing its investigation; it has even leveled accusations against the spokespersons of both the IEC and the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), saying that they have been speaking against the national interest. In all, four persons from the electoral bodies have been summoned for questioning.
 
“We have received a lot of evidence, including audio and video records showing major deals,” said Deputy Attorney general Rahmatullah Nazari. “We will submit these documents to the Supreme Court to take any necessary measures.”

But Noor Mohammad Noor, spokesman for the IEC, rejected all such allegations.

There have long been rumors that the government and other bodies have intervened in the final results, particularly after the president called for ethnic balance in the Parliament.

The IEC, however, maintains that it has acted independently and with integrity throughout the process.

“We believe that we acted in accordance with the law,” said Fazal Ahmad Manawi, chairman of the IEC, in a press conference. “Of course, some government officials wanted to interfere, but fortunately the IEC did not accede to any demands.”

Still, the losers in the election insist that the IEC was not able to exercise its independence properly.

Haji Nesar Ahmad Faizi Ghoryani, a successful candidate from Herat, was disqualified after the elections for not resigning from his government post on time. He is also unhappy with the IEC.

“The IEC and ECC should have told us before the elections if they had some problems with us,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are individuals who try to prevent the people’s real representatives from becoming parliamentarians.”

In the province of Ghazni, final results were delayed for a week. The IEC said this was due to technical problems, but when the lists were published on December 1, many were surprised at the composition. All of the 11 successful candidates were from the Hazara ethnic group, while some districts of Ghazni have a large Pashtun population.
 
“One particular tribe cannot represent all of Ghazni province,” said Daud Sultanzoi, who lost his seat in Ghazni.

Given the current situation, many analysts believe that it is time for the government to step in.
“Disagreement over the final results of the Parliamentary elections should not lead to instability,” said Dalawar Ahmadzai, a political analyst. “When the country faces a crisis, the government tries to find solutions. Otherwise the entire system may collapse.”

While demands for government intervention have increased, the government has adopted a more cautious stance.

 “The government, particularly the president, has no plan to interfere in the activities of the IEC and the Attorney General’s office, since they are both independent entities,” said presidential spokesperson Wahid Omar.