Iraq begins recounting votes from May 12 assembly poll

By Amir al-Saadi

BAGHDAD (AA) - Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council on Thursday said that newly-appointed electoral officials had begun recounting votes cast in the country’s recent parliamentary election.

On Wednesday, parliament voted in favor of conducting a manual recount of May 12 parliamentary poll results.

Shortly afterward, a nine-judge panel was appointed to assume the responsibilities of Iraq’s official electoral commission.

Results of the May 12 election remain dogged by dispute and controversy, including widespread allegations of vote-rigging.

Late last month, lawmakers first began calling for a vote recount. Electoral commission officials responded by warning of “potential civil unrest” if poll results were overturned.

Earlier this week, the government slapped a travel ban on electoral commission officials pending further investigation into fraud allegations.

Muqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia cleric and politician, has said that parliament lacks the authority to overturn election results.

Al-Sadr's Sairoon coalition dominated the May 12 polls, winning 54 parliamentary seats, according to official results.

The Sairoon coalition was followed by a Hashd al-Shaabi-linked coalition (47 seats) and Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's Victory bloc (42 seats).