Semin Barekzai, a 32-year-old from the western province of Herat, won a seat in September last year but in August the Independent Election Commission (IEC) removed her and eight other members, saying other candidates had actually won.

Barekzai started her hunger strike on Oct. 2 at a tent close to the parliament and her health is deteriorating.

The ousted MPs have all held demonstrations against their removal, but former journalist and beautician Barekzai has vowed to fast to the death, if necessary. Doctors have said her kidneys may be suffering permanent damage.

Barekzai has said that if she does die, President Hamid Karzai and the heads of IEC and the lower house of parliament would be responsible.

The IEC’s decision to unseat the nine MPs came after a special election court established by Karzai ruled that 62 MPs won their seats through fraud and should be replaced. The IEC only endorsed a fraction of the changes.

Many MPs say they do not recognize the court, arguing it is a tool for the president to meddle in the legislature’s make-up.

More than 100 lawmakers are boycotting most assembly sessions, which is preventing a quorum, to protest the IEC ruling.

Fazl Ahmad Manawi, head of the IEC, said decisions taken by the special court were lawful and the IEC had acted transparently.

He said the IEC could not be held responsible for Barekzai’s health, or her death.

“With all these efforts, if she still thinks the commission has acted unlawfully, then anybody can have access to the information about her votes,” Manawi told reporters.

“The IEC is responsible for what it has done according to the legal authorities. Beyond that, we won’t take responsibility for anything else.”

Disputes over the election have added to worries among Afghanistan’s backers about the country’s prospects as it battles an increasingly violent Taleban insurgency and tries to rein in rampant corruption.