Over 3 mn voted in Afghan parliamentary polls

More than three million voters have cast their ballot in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections that were held on Saturday amidst terror threats, the country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said on Sunday.

In the elections, high turnouts were reported in Kabul, Herat, Daykundi and Nangarhar provinces while the lowest turnout was reported in Uruzgan province, Xinhua news agency quoted the IEC as saying.

Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces was postponed due to security reasons.

In an effort to provide opportunity to people who failed to vote on Saturday, the IEC will allow them to vote on Sunday, the statement said.

The elections covered 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the 249-seat lower house of the parliament for a five-year term.

On Saturday, 27 people including 11 security force members were killed and 100 others injured, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs.

--IANS

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