24 Sep 2010

More claims of Afghan vote-rigging

7:03 pm on 24 September 2010

There are more accusations of vote-rigging in a parliamentary election in Afghanistan on Saturday.

In video obtained by the ABC, political activists can be seen falsifying dozens of votes in the southern province of Kandahar.

Afghan officials received more than 3000 complaints of electoral fraud during Saturday's poll. Hundreds more complaints were received over the telephone.

The Electoral Complaints Commission says it will investigate the accusations of fraud before results are announced. Final results are due in late October.

Last year's presidential poll - won by President Hamid Karzai - was also marred by widespread fraud.

The BBC reports that the complaints include multiple voting, use of fake identity cards and stolen ballot boxes.

There are also concerns that supposedly indelible ink - to ensure that no one votes more than once - may have washed off in many cases.

Voter intimidation by powerful candidates is among other major complaints.

More than 2500 candidates stood on Saturday for the 249 seats in the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of parliament.