By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Kabul: Afghan officials have started recounting votes in 12 out of the country’s 34 provinces for the Sep 18, 2010 parliamentary elections over allegations of electoral fraud, media reports said Sunday.
The recount was initiated by the Afghan special election tribunal after complaints of violations and irregularities were registered during the polls last year.
The violations include ballot-stuffing, proxy and underage voting, fake voter identification cards and interference by candidates and officials during voting and counting.
A total of 4.2 million people cast their ballots to elect the 249-seat Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the parliament.
The elections were marred by Taliban attacks on voters and polling stations. At least 21 civilians and nine police officers were killed during the voting, the election commission said.
Many of the polling stations were largely empty as two-thirds of the eligible voters stayed home because of the Taliban’s intimidation.
However, Afghan officials said the attacks were not serious enough to derail the polls.