Afghanistan to hold presidential polls Aug. 20

Afghanistan will hold presidential elections on Aug. 20, the head of the election commission said on Thursday, only the second time in history the troubled nation has held democratic polls to choose a head of state.

"The commission decided to hold the election on the 29th of Asad which corresponds to August 20," commission chief Azizullah Ludin told a news conference.

President Hamid Karzai has strongly hinted he will run for re-election, but his popularity has waned due to widespread official corruption and widening insecurity as Taliban insurgents battle daily with the Afghan government and international troops.

According to the constitution, the elections should be held by May, but officials announced in April last year that would not be possible as holding polls in the spring would mean organizing them during the harsh winter when large parts of the country are inaccessible.