The counting of ballots in Afghanistan's presidential election has been delayed while negotiations proceed on what form an investigation into alleged voting irregularities should take. Candidates running in opposition to interim President Hamid Karzai initially called for the results of Saturday's election to be nullified because ink used to prevent voters from casting multiple ballots could be washed off. However, several candidates are now saying that they would instead accept the findings of an independent inquiry into the allegations. BBC News has more.

UPDATE: Afghanistan's Joint Electoral Management Body has asked the UN to appoint a panel of independent experts to investigate allegations of voting fraud. The JEMB also said Monday that it hopes to start the vote count late Tuesday, but it could take three weeks before it is completed. Reuters has more. Also Monday, Yunus Qanuni, Karzai's main rival, confirmed that he and several other candidates had dropped a plan to boycott the election process, saying that "we want unity in this election, not a boycott. The people want it and we appreciate their feelings." Again, Reuters has more.


Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase...

• Candidates withdraw Afghan vote boycott
• DEVELOPING STORY - Afghan election in doubt after candidates boycott