Karzai wins 54% votes with preliminary results of Afghan election

KABUL, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai has obtained over 54 percent votes as the preliminary results of the Aug. 20 presidential election announced Wednesday.

File photo shows that Afghan President Hamid Karzai holds up his inked stained finger as he gestures during a news conference on election day in Kabul August 20, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

"Out of valid 5,662,785 votes, Mr. Hamid Karzai has secured 3,093,256 votes or 54.6 percent," chief electoral officer Daud Ali Najafi told a news conference.

Karzai's main challenger Abdullah Abdullah bagged 1,571,581 votes or 27.8 percent, securing the second position. Ramazan Bashardost stood at third place by bagging 9.2 percent or 520,627 votes.

Final results of the election will be announced after reviewing all the complaints received by the Electoral Complaints Commission(ECC), Najafi added.

Some 2,800 complaints have been filed with ECC and more than 700 of them, according to officials with the body are serious that can sway the election result.