By DPA,
Kabul : The lead of incumbent President Hamid Karzai increased to more than 15 percent over his nearest challenger nine days after the country’s presidential elections, the Afghan Independent Election Commission reported Saturday.
According to the new figures, Karzai has 46.3 percent of the vote, compared to 31.4 percent for former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, with a third of the poll or more than two million votes counted.
At the beginning of the vote count, partial results were showing a neck-and-neck race between Karzai and Abdullah.
The third placed candidate, former planning minister Ramazan Bashardost, has garnered 13.6 percent of the vote.
Should the leader of the race not reach an absolute majority, a second round of voting will take place in October between the first- and second-placed candidates. A preliminary result is expected next week, and an official end result in mid-September.
Abdullah has accused the Karzai camp of electoral fraud. Almost 800 complaints have been made concerning the election and the count.