Commission report on Afghan election expected Monday

A report by a commission investigating voting irregularities in Afghanistan's presidential election is expected Monday.

The findings by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission into allegations of ballot-box stuffing during the Aug. 20 election were expected over the weekend. But high-level meetings in Kabul between international representatives and the two men vying for Afghanistan's presidency have delayed the announcement.

The meetings are aimed at reaching a consensus on whether a second round of balloting between incumbent Hamid Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah is required.

Last week, Karzai acknowledged irregularities in the election but defended the process, saying it was "good and fair and worthy of praise, not scorn."

Preliminary results from the election indicated Karzai won 54.6 per cent of the vote, enough to win outright without the need for a runoff election. Fifty per cent is needed to avoid a second round of voting.

Allegations of voter fraud on a massive scale have plagued the election, however, and a pending recount could lowerthe margin of Karzai's lead enough to force a runoff vote with former foreign minister Abdullah, who won27.8 per cent of the vote.