Heratis cast doubts on Arvin’s victory in elections

AVA- They say it is questionable how Independent Election Commission deputy head Wasima Badghisi’s brother Naqibullah Arvin received above 7,000 votes.
The IEC yesterday announced Wolesi Jirga election results from Heart province, declaring 17 candidates as winners, including Naqibullah Arvin. Arvin was placed among leading candidates with 7320 votes.
Syed Rashid, a resident of Herat City, said he did not believe Arvin could grab so many votes, keeping in mind his popularity.
He said it was possible election workers had manipulated the results in favor of Arvin because he was brother of Wasima Badghisi.
Another resident, Ghulam Sarwar, said Arvin was not socially famous as compared to some of the candidates who could not make it the parliament.
He said the election commission should investigate the cased of Arvin.
But IEC regional office head Ahamd Shah Qanoni refused to talk to media about the matter. “I don’t have any information, you must contact the central office.”
On Monday, IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad told a press conference in Kabul that if anyone had doubts about Arvin’s victory, they should produce evidence before the complaints commission.
He said the IEC was also following the matter. “If concrete evidence exists and fraud had taken place, the complaints commission is there to decide and we will consider the verdict in the final results.”