The presence of US Senator Kerry, left, underscored Western lobbying ahead of the announcement [AFP]

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced on Tuesday that the run-off will be held on November 7.

The IEC's ruling comes a day after the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), investigating allegations of fraud in the election, demanded thousands of ballots be disallowed.

The move subsequently brought Karzai's share of the vote below 50 per cent.

Noor Mohammad Noor, a spokesman for the IEC, announced: "It will go to a second round on November 7. The reason was Karzai's vote was 49.67 and could not reach above 50 per cent."

Run-off welcomed

In a news conference in Kabul soon afterwards, Karzai said that he accepted the findings of the fraud panel and confirmed that the run-off would be held.

"We believe that this decision of the IEC is legitimate, legal and constitutional and that it strengthens the path towards democracy," he said in remarks televised live on Afghan television.

He said that that he hoped the forthcoming days before the poll would pass off peacefully.

Karzai spoke alongside Kai Eide, the UN envoy, and John Kerry, the US senator who chairs America's senate foreign relations committee.

Their presence in Kabul underscored intensive Western lobbying of Karzai to resolve the weeks of political paralysis.

Kerry said that with the announcement of a second round, "a time of enormous uncertainty has been transformed into a moment of great opportunity".

There have been growing signs that US patience with Karzai is wearing thin, as Barack Obama, the US president, considers whether to deploy thousands more troops to Afghanistan.

After a visit to Pakistan, Kerry diverted his plane back to Kabul for hurried talks with Karzai late on Monday. The British and French ambassadors reportedly also joined the meeting.

The campaign behind Abdullah Abdullah, Karzai's closest rival who will challenge him in the run-off, said they were prepared for the vote.

"We had hoped the president would accept the second round," Fazel Sangcharaki, Abdullah's spokesman, said.

Security risks

But Shukria Barakzai, an independent Afghan MP, said the run-off was a disappointment for the Afghan people and had come about due to international interference.

"That was the most unjust announcement," she said.

"Afghans are not blind ... this election is not going [ahead] because of the lack of 50 plus one, this election goes to a run-off because of the favour of the international community to have a good partner with them."

Barakzai warned that the security situation in Afghanistan had further deteriorated since the August 20 vote. The Taliban had announced then that it would target voters.

"The people of Afghanistan have been waiting for almost two months," she said.

"During the election day they risked [their lives] and went to the polling station in this exercise of democracy ... Who can guarantee for Afghans that the next election will be free of fraud and a fair election?"

A second round also presents significant logistical problems, with Afghanistan's harsh winter fast approaching.

Prior to the announcement of a second round there had been intense speculation that Karzai and Abdullah would reach a power-sharing deal.

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