BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (KUNA) -- The Spokesman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, Farid Ayar, said Thursday that the electoral law passed by the Provisional National Assembly had excluded no group in the distribution of parliamentary seats.Speaking to KUNA, Ayar said that 230 parliamentary seats out of a total of 275 would be distributed into the 18 Iraqi electoral provinces. He added that no separate parliamentary seats were allocated to minority groups and stressed that some 45 seats were considered as "compensation" ones.
He stressed that the distribution of seats into the 18 provinces would be based on the distribution pattern of the June 30, 2005 general elections. He added that only the candidates, who are approved by the electoral commission would be allowed to run for seats. "But in case a designated candidate is incapacitated or dies, the next candidate in line in the list would replace him," Ayar said.
He added that the compensation seats would be allocated to political groups that had won no seats in the last elections.