Candidate nominations are open for Afghanistan's presidential election, with a large field expected to register in the race to succeed Hamid Karzai as the US-led war winds down.
The election, due to take place on April 5, will mark Afghanistan's first ever democratic transfer of power as Karzai steps aside after leading the country since the Taliban hardline regime was ousted in 2001.
The presidential race, from which Karzai is barred after serving two terms, is seen as the key test of 13 years of bloody international military intervention and billions of dollars of aid.
"So far, 27 people - both individuals and members of parties and coalitions - have collected registration forms for the presidential election," Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor told AFP.
All potential runners must register with the IEC before October 6, and a final list of verified candidates will be published on November 16. No candidate is expected to launch their campaign on Monday.
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Presidential hopefuls must be aged at least 40, not convicted of any crimes, provide 100,000 voter cards to prove they have a network of supporters, and also lodge a deposit of one million Afghanis ($A20,000).
The tough new criteria were designed "to limit the number of runners", Noor said, after around 40 candidates stood in the chaotic 2009 election that was marred by massive fraud.
Karzai, a charismatic and mercurial figure, has dominated Afghan politics as the country has struggled to develop amid a fierce Taliban insurgency, and there are no obvious front-runners to succeed him.
