Afghan parliamentary elections delayed until September News
Afghan parliamentary elections delayed until September

[JURIST] [JURIST] Afghanistan [JURIST Countries news archive] parliamentary elections originally slated for May will be held in September, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Thursday. Karzai's announcement only confirmed the delay, which had been anticipated [JURIST report] by observers for some time as the country struggled to prepare for the elections. Karzai said the delay was caused by technical problems, including an incomplete national census that would be necessary to set up parliamentary elections. The delay was finally recommended by elections chief Bismillah Bismil on Tuesday. It could potentially cause problems, as Karzai remains the only elected official in the country until the elections are held, but opposition groups appeared willing to accept the delay. Karzai made the announcement during a visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Read a transcript of Rice's remarks during the visit. AP has more.