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| Iraq |
| Iraq vote row to be solved before campaign: PM |
| 2010-02-09 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday he has received assurances that judges will resolve a simmering row over who can stand in Iraq's general election before official campaigning starts on Feb. 12. Around 100 lawmakers had gathered earlier at parliament for an emergency session to debate a contentious decision to allow hundreds of candidates allegedly linked to executed dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath party to stand in the vote. The meeting was triggered by Maliki after he branded as "illegal" a judicial panel's ruling that around 500 previously barred candidates could compete in the March 7 vote after all, subject to a post-ballot appeals process. But the parliament meeting was called off when MPs were told the chamber had received a letter from Maliki that said a judicial panel would complete an appeals process by next Friday, more than three weeks ahead of polling day. The letter specified that "the panel of judges decided to start immediately the study of the appeals," deputy parliament speaker Khaled al-Attiya told MPs. A parliamentary official told AFP that the judicial panel had also written to parliament to say it will be able to complete its review of candidates by Friday, when official campaigning is due to start. |
| Posted by:Fred |