Polling goes on without biometrics in 2 Kabul districts

Pajhwok reporters witnessed this situation in Syed Noor Mohammad Shah High School in the 8th police district and Nabi Akram Mosque in Omaid-i-Sabz Township of police district 6th.
The Wolesi Jirga election kicked off on October 20 nation-wide apart from southern Ghazni and Kandahar provinces. The polling in some polling stations continued for the second day on Sunday as a result of delays on the first day.
Mohammad Yousuf Parwana, head of the Syed Noor Mohammad Shah polling station, said the voting process did not commence by 11:30 because necessary materials such as result forms, batteries used in biometric devices, complaint form and others had not arrived in the polling station.
He said after a telephonic contact with Mirwais Zamani, deputy head of the IEC secretariat, they started the voting process without the use of biometric system.
Hameedullah, one of the voters, criticized the conduct of the polls and added the IEC had failed to properly manage and conduct the ballot.
Merza Mohammad Haqparast, IEC deputy spokesman, acknowledged voting in two polling stations was underway without the use of biometrics because there were some technical issues with the devices.
He said the decision to continue polling without biometrics was taken after the devices stopped working in some polling stations.