Hundreds of Afghan polling centers opened Sunday for a second day of voting in a chaotic legislative election marred by deadly violence and technical glitches that have “eroded its credibility”.

Around three million people defied the threat of militant attacks to cast their ballot in the long-delayed poll on Saturday, official figures showed, but many polling sites opened several hours late or not at all.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC), which has been lambasted for its chaotic organization of the vote that is more three years late, said 401 polling centers would open Sunday until 5:00 pm (1230 GMT).

“There was disorder, slowness, shortcomings and mismanagement by the IEC,” said Ali Reza Rohani, a spokesman for the Electoral Complaints Commission.

A Western official said the ballot was a “victory for the Afghan people who were not deterred” by the biometric machines, administrative incompetence and Taliban threats.

Source: AFP