City
Epaper

Abdullah Abdullah claims victory in Afghan prez race

By IANS | Published: September 30, 2019 5:46 PM

Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Monday claimed victory in the presidential election even as the official vote count was still under way.

Open in App

"We have got the most votes in the election," Abdullah, President Ashraf Ghani's main rival, told reporters in the Afghan capital.

"In the current situation, the elections will not go to a second round and we will form a new government," he said, according to Efe news.

However, the Independent Election Commission said no candidate had the right to announce election results or claim victory.

"It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to (…) announce the primary result," said Habib Rahman Nang, a senior IEC officer, denouncing Abdullah's claim as premature.

He said there was still a long process before the poll panel would announce the final result, after assessing all election-related fraud and rigging complaints.

The voting to elect new the Afghan President was held on Saturday amid violence and Taliban threats.

The preliminary results of the polls will not be known till October 19, with the final count expected to be announced on November 7.

If there is no clear winner or no candidate bags over 50 per cent of the ballots cast, a second round of voting will be held to choose between the two contenders who got the most votes.

Abdullah admitted that the turnout was not "as high as was expected", attributing it to security threats and warnings by militants.

He said that despite the threats, a "significant number" of people had turned out to vote.

This was the fourth time Afghans went to the polls to elect a President since 2001, when the US-led coalition ousted a Taliban regime.

( With inputs from IANS )

Open in App

Related Stories

EntertainmentJustin Timberlake shares heartfelt message for his sons on Father's Day

NationalBengal LoP requests Governor to ensure retention of CAPF till Durga Puja

Aurangabad40 students lose opportunity of UPSC prelim due to wrong Google location

InternationalAs temperatures soar, six Haj pilgrims die from heatstroke in Mecca

InternationalUAE Team Emirates' Yates, Almeida take victory again in Suisse

International Realted Stories

InternationalEnergy vouchers for 1.3 mn S. Korean vulnerable households this summer

InternationalIsrael: Millions worth of cocaine found, three arrested

InternationalIsraeli Military chief calls for drafting ultra-orthodox

InternationalIsrael's Navy receives new landing craft from US

InternationalIslamabad Police seek to challenge High Court's order restricting surveillance data access