The Times
Jerome Starkey in Kabul

President Karzai has seized control of the independent election watchdog that ruled more than a million votes invalid in August’s polls.

Diplomats said that Mr Karzai issued a decree last week giving himself the right to appoint all five commissioners on the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC).

Under the old law the ECC was the only truly independent body. “One Commissioner is appointed by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, one Commissioner is appointed by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan and the three internationals are appointed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” the ECC’s website states. (Read more…)