Karzai is currently ahead in opinion polls [AFP]

The number of candidates is less than the 44 people who had registered after two men were disqualified and one dropped out, Azizullah Lodin, the Independent Election Commission president, said on Saturday.

On the final list is Ashraf Ghani, the former finance minister, and Abdullah Abdullah, the former foreign minister, seen by many observers as the strongest challengers to Karzai who is going for a second term.

Weak challenge

Lodin complained that many of the candidates should not be on the ballot paper because they were not qualified to be president, many being unknown.

"Unfortunately I have to announce that we have this long list," he told reporters, pointing to the final list of candidates for the election - the second in Afghanistan's history.

The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) expelled Muhammad Akbar Bai, a Turkman factional leader, and another unknown, Sayyed Jafar Hufyani, as well as one of the vice-presidential running mates, he said.

Lodin would not say on which basis these men had been removed.

The ECC said last week that 55 of 57 people it had barred from the presidential race and simultaneous vote for the provincial council were linked to illegal armed groups.

Another had dual nationality and one had a criminal conviction, it said.

Under the country's constitution, the vote was due to be held in May, but was postponed to August 20, when thousands of extra American troops are due to arrive in the country to fight the Taliban.

Recommend this article...

Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto: