KABUL, Oct 12 (AFP) - Counting of votes in Afghanistan's disputed presidential election could begin as soon as Wednesday, the UN-Afghan electoral commission said Tuesday.
The count was put on hold after opposition candidates alleged fraud and irregularities, which are to be investigated by the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) and a three-person international panel.
"We are waiting for the green light which could come tomorrow (Wednesday) or the day after. There are papers piling up and they are ready to be counted," said David Avery, JEMB chief logistics officer.
Avery said some of the 24,377 ballot boxes were being transported to eight regional counting stations from polling sites in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan and in some centres ballots were stacked and ready to be counted.
A group of 14 candidates Saturday called for the election to be scrapped and held again.
They alleged a number of irregularities, including complaints that the ink used to stain voters' fingers to prevent them voting again was easily washed off.
The JEMB agreed to an independent inquiry into the allegations, and called on candidates to submit their complaints by 6.00 pm Tuesday.
With just hours to go before the deadline, only three candidates had presented their objections, said Sultan Baheen, a spokesman for the JEMB.
The three include interim President Hamid Karzai's main rival, Yunus Qanooni, who has agreed to accept the result of the election after the complaints are investigated.