The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has extended the voter registration period to an extra month in a bid to increase the people’s participation in the process.

AVA- IEC has begun registering voters across the country as the commission seeks to ensure that long-delayed legislative elections in October are seen as credible and free of fraud.

Since the beginning of the process, more than 291,000 voters have been registered for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections.

“The voter registration process will be extended up to three or four weeks, and the process will continue in the centers of the cities,” said Rafiullah Bedar, a commissioner of the IEC. “291,003 people have been registered so far.”

This comes as the Senate House on Tuesday summoned the IEC officials over the ongoing challenges, facing the election commission.

“The security threats have been increased in the country, mainly in provinces. How could the people participate in elections? It is a serious concern that needs to be addressed,” questioned Senator Jumaddin Giyanwal.

“Many ID cards have been distributed to [one person] that could put the legitimacy of elections in question and lead to fraud in the process,” said Senator Gul Ahmad Azimi.

The population registration department, however, said that it has set up more than 1,000 mobile teams for distribution of national identity cards (Tazkira) across the country, following concerns over the existence of fake and multiple ID cards with one person.

“Many ID cards have been given to one person and even fake ones distributed,” said Humayun Mohtat, the head of population registration department. “It is a challenge for us but we have clear plans in this regard and we have formed 1,050 mobile teams to distribute Tazkira to those who need it.”