Publication

The usefulness of holding the September 2010 election to the lower house of the Afghan parliament has been subjected to intense debate. While the security situation remains a critical challenge forestalling polling in large parts of the country, speculation is rife that the voting process may be marred by widespread fraud and irregularities as witnessed in previous elections. As a result, the representative character and legitimacy of the newly elected house would remain a matter of debate. However, in spite of such challenges, in a country where insurgency is still raging, allowing the common people a sense of participation in shaping the future of the nation is critical.