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| Recounts ordered in Afghan vote | Recounts ordered in Afghan vote |
| (2 days later) | |
| Afghanistan's Election Complaints Commission has ordered a number of recounts and audits of votes from last month's presidential election. | Afghanistan's Election Complaints Commission has ordered a number of recounts and audits of votes from last month's presidential election. |
| The UN-backed body warned that it had found "clear and convincing evidence of fraud", the AP news agency reported. | The UN-backed body warned that it had found "clear and convincing evidence of fraud", the AP news agency reported. |
| It came after a senior UN envoy called for a crackdown on irregularities, amid mounting concern over the election. | It came after a senior UN envoy called for a crackdown on irregularities, amid mounting concern over the election. |
| According to the most recent results, President Hamid Karzai was close to the threshold needed for an outright win. | According to the most recent results, President Hamid Karzai was close to the threshold needed for an outright win. |
| The 20 August poll has been overshadowed by claims of mass fraud and ballot-box stuffing against all the main candidates. | The 20 August poll has been overshadowed by claims of mass fraud and ballot-box stuffing against all the main candidates. |
| US ambassador Karl Eikenberry met Mr Karzai on Monday night to discuss his concerns. It is not known how the Afghan leader responded. | US ambassador Karl Eikenberry met Mr Karzai on Monday night to discuss his concerns. It is not known how the Afghan leader responded. |
| AFGHAN POLL FRAUD 8 Sep: Poll complaints body orders some recounts nationwide6 Sep: About 200,000 votes are quarantined by poll officials3 Sep: Claims 30,000 fraudulent votes cast for Karzai in Kandahar30 Aug: 2,000 fraud allegations are probed; 600 deemed serious20 Aug: Election day and claims 80,000 ballots were filled out fradulently for Karzai in Ghazni18 Aug: Ballot cards sold openly and voter bribes offered Afghanistan's future in peril Suicide bomb hits Afghan airport Merkel regrets Afghan raid deaths | |
| On Tuesday, Kai Eide, the UN special representative to Afghanistan, called in a written statement for the poll authorities to ensure the final outcome faithfully reflected the will of Afghan voters. | On Tuesday, Kai Eide, the UN special representative to Afghanistan, called in a written statement for the poll authorities to ensure the final outcome faithfully reflected the will of Afghan voters. |
| Later, the Election Complaints Commission (ECC) told the BBC there should be a recount where any single candidate received more than 95% of valid votes, in any polling station where more than 100 votes were cast. | Later, the Election Complaints Commission (ECC) told the BBC there should be a recount where any single candidate received more than 95% of valid votes, in any polling station where more than 100 votes were cast. |
| The body - which has been investigating hundreds of allegations of major poll fraud - also called for an audit in any polling station where 600 or more votes were cast. | The body - which has been investigating hundreds of allegations of major poll fraud - also called for an audit in any polling station where 600 or more votes were cast. |
| ECC spokesman Grant Kippen said questionable results had so far been identified in Ghazni, Paktika and Kandahar provinces. | ECC spokesman Grant Kippen said questionable results had so far been identified in Ghazni, Paktika and Kandahar provinces. |
| It is not yet known how many of the thousands of polling stations nationwide could be affected by the recounts and audits, he added. | It is not yet known how many of the thousands of polling stations nationwide could be affected by the recounts and audits, he added. |
| A check by the BBC found 16 polling stations in Kandahar alone where more than 95% of votes had been cast for Mr Karzai. | A check by the BBC found 16 polling stations in Kandahar alone where more than 95% of votes had been cast for Mr Karzai. |
| More results are to be declared on Tuesday, but the BBC's Chris Morris in Kabul says many senior international officials believe they could be fraudulent. | More results are to be declared on Tuesday, but the BBC's Chris Morris in Kabul says many senior international officials believe they could be fraudulent. |
| In the latest results, published on Sunday, Hamid Karzai was within touching distance of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a run-off. | In the latest results, published on Sunday, Hamid Karzai was within touching distance of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a run-off. |
| Nearest rival Abdullah Abdullah - who has claimed the vote amounted to "state-engineered fraud" - was about 17 percentage points behind. | Nearest rival Abdullah Abdullah - who has claimed the vote amounted to "state-engineered fraud" - was about 17 percentage points behind. |
| But Afghan poll officials have also quarantined about 200,000 ballots. | |
| Our correspondent says that if the Afghan administration is perceived to lack a legitimate mandate, fighting the Taliban, tackling corruption and spreading good government will become more difficult. | Our correspondent says that if the Afghan administration is perceived to lack a legitimate mandate, fighting the Taliban, tackling corruption and spreading good government will become more difficult. |
| Election day was also marred by more than 400 Taliban attacks, including against voters whom the insurgents had warned not to turn out. | Election day was also marred by more than 400 Taliban attacks, including against voters whom the insurgents had warned not to turn out. |
| The fraud controversy comes as Washington considers whether to send thousands more troops to the country, where violence has hit a record high eight years on from the US-led invasion. | The fraud controversy comes as Washington considers whether to send thousands more troops to the country, where violence has hit a record high eight years on from the US-led invasion. |
| Mr Karzai told French newspaper Le Figaro on Monday that the US wanted him to be more docile, but "nobody has an interest in the Afghan president becoming an American puppet". | Mr Karzai told French newspaper Le Figaro on Monday that the US wanted him to be more docile, but "nobody has an interest in the Afghan president becoming an American puppet". |
| Are you in Afghanistan? Are you worried about election fraud? Do you think the elections are legitimate? Send us your views using the form below. | Are you in Afghanistan? Are you worried about election fraud? Do you think the elections are legitimate? Send us your views using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |