Afghanistan election: lack of majority could mean run-off

Ex-foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah leads with nearly 45% but poll officials suggest there may be second round of voting

Abdullah Abdullah leads the polls at 44.9% but has no majority – which could mean a second phase of voting. Photograph: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images

Saturday 26 April 2014

The former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah has received the most votes in the Afghan elections, although he has failed to win a majority.

The chairman of the independent election commission, Ahmad Yousuf Nouristani, said on Saturday that Abdullah had 44.9% of the vote and ex-finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai came in second with 31.5%. The preliminary results are due to be finalised on 14 May after investigations into fraud complaints.

"This is a preliminary outcome and will now go to the independent election complaints commission and they will work on this. As soon as they share their findings with us we will also announce it," Nouristani said

He added: "I think we are prepared and if it goes to second round, yes we think it is doable, and we have a tentative schedule of 7 June to start the second round."

Electoral law requires a run-off between the top two candidates if no one candidate gets a majority. A run-off should be held within 15 days of final results. The candidates are vying to replace President Hamid Karzai, the only leader Afghans have known since the US-led invasion to remove the Taliban's hardline Islamic regime.

The elections were held on 4 April and there were 27 candidates for president. Twelve million Afghans had the right to vote and 8 million refugees and expatriates. Around 5.8m votes were cast.