, AFP, 21 November 2010

EXCERPT: "Afghanistan's election watchdog on Sunday stripped 19 winners in the country's parliamentary election, including President Hamid Karzai's first cousin, of their victories because of fraud. The candidates were disqualified as part of a probe by the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) into widespread claims of irregularities that tarnished the September 18 poll for the 249-seat lower house of parliament or Wolesi Jirga. The poll was only the second parliamentary election to be held in Afghanistan since the hardline Islamist Taliban regime was overthrown nine years ago in a US-led invasion. It was meant to show Karzai's commitment to tackling widespread corruption after a presidential election last year that was beset with claims of fraud, mostly in the president's favour. [...] The results of two losing candidates, who had the next highest amount of votes and stood to gain by the disqualifications, were also struck out for the same reason, Rafaat added. None of the candidates has a right to appeal the decision."

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Related articles:
119 candidates disqualified after Afghan parliamentary elections, CNN, 22 November 2010
, The New York Times, 21 November 2010

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