First published on the website of TEFA on 22 December 2019.

Kabul: IEC, 84 days after E-Day and with repetitive violation of the election calendar, finally managed to announce the preliminary result of the 2019 Presidential Election which TEFA embraces and accepts as an accomplishment of a serious milestone; however, it is note-worthy that this result is preliminary and therefore with the complaints adjudication, possibilities of changes to the preliminary result exist.

Since the last three months, IEC has not disseminated/shared any sort of information on the number of closed and open PCs and PSs, number of voters disaggregated by male and female with regard to each polling station, a clear list of open and closed polling centers and stations, and other expected and necessary information with election stakeholders, media, and the public at large. TEFA was expectant of IEC to have disclosed all necessary information amidst result announcement and published them on its official website for better and more facile reach by the public so that they, during the 3-day time for placing their complaints, could make justifiable and rational complaints.

Moreover, TEFA was expecting IEC to have shared sufficient information on the long-argued votes which had hindered the process, thereby clarifying and justifying the basis and mechanism for their decision; but conversely, not only did IEC not provide the expected information, it did also not present its final decision on those long-argued votes.

Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan recommends the following for realizing transparent, and authentic final results of the 2019 polls:

1. IEC needs to share the very number of voters disaggregated by polling stations, centers and provinces and the list of open and closed polling centers.
2. IEC needs to content all concerned election stakeholders on the decision it has made.
3. TEFA calls upon all candidates to abide by the law and those who have complaints to place should go through the formal procedure.
4. Electoral Complaints Commission should thoroughly act by the law and adjudicate all complaints under domestic and international observation and must also provide concrete legal reasons and justifications for whatever decision they come up with.