UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R) shakes hands with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul November 2, 2009. Ban made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday as pressure grew to abandon plans for a risky run-off vote after the withdrawal of Karzai's only rival. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

Afghanistan's election body, the Independent Election Commission (IEC), on Nov. 2 announced incumbent president Hamid Karzai as the winner of presidential election after it decided to scrap a planned run-off ballot.

The announcement made by IEC's chief Azizullah Ludin just a day after the withdrawal of Karzai's top challenger Abdullah Abdullah from the race in a runoff in protest against what he described " biased stance of IEC's chief " and demanded his sacking, a condition utterly rejected by Karzai.

News:

• Afghan election-related crisis to deepen

• Obama urges Karzai to improve governance

• Afghan run-off election canceled, Karzai wins election

• Afghan run-off to be held as scheduled

• Afghanistan to have weak gov't if runoff goes with sole candidate

• US urges legitimacy of Afghan election

• Karzai's challenger calls for replacement of election body's chief

• Afghan media calls for revamping election body

• China hopes for smooth Afghan election

• Afghan runoff vote to face challenges

• Karzai major rival refuses forming coalition gov't

• Obama, Brown support 2nd round of voting in Afghanistan

• US committed to support Afghan election

• Karzai accepts second round election

• Karzai to fully respect constitutional order

• Afghan president denies election fraud

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