Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission said on Saturday it invalidated votes from 1,179 polling stations in the recount and audit process.
They are among 2,423 polling stations which were reported open on election day, but did not send any results, biometric devices or biometric data or only sent the results but no biometric devices/memory cards and biometric data.
Earlier, some candidates criticized the IEC for including the 2,423 polling stations in the recount, claiming it was against electoral laws and procedures.
IEC said in a statement said that for the commissioners, only those votes are valid that have biometric basis. It said that IEC was not making partisan decisions.
IEC had started recounting 8,531 problematic polling stations on November 9, but the process has been boycotted by several candidates.
The commission said that it completed the process in 24 provinces and urged electoral teams to allow the process in seven provinces, where they have shut its offices.
