Kabul:
Afghanistan's election commission has ordered a recount of votes in some areas for recent parliamentary elections, a senior official said on Sunday, raising further concerns of misconduct and fraud during the polls.
Election commission Chairman Fazel Ahmad Manawi said recounts have been ordered in parts of at least seven provinces.
He said the number of places subject to recounts was expected to increase because not all results have been fully examined. He said the votes under question would be recounted under the supervision of his commission and the electoral complaints commission, along with national and international observers.
"We want to be very clear on the counting of these ballots," he said.
The September 18 elections were seen as a test of the Afghan government's commitment to rooting out corruption.
The vote was the first since a presidential election last year that was nearly derailed by widespread ballot-box stuffing and tally manipulation. That poll led many Western powers to question whether they should be supporting the administration of President Hamid Karzai with military forces and funds.
About 2,500 candidates are vying for 249 parliamentary seats. Final results are not expected until late next month.
The election day was marred by rocket attacks and bombings at polling stations. At least 21 civilians and nine police officers were killed during the voting, according to the election commission and the Interior Ministry.
Observers said some people were able to wash off supposedly indelible ink used to mark fingers to prevent multiple voting. In some areas, poll workers let people use fake registration cards and allowed children to vote, according to the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan, the main independent Afghan observer group.