Shafaq News – Baghdad (Updated at 15:14)
Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) resolved all 853 appeals submitted against the November parliamentary election results, the Supreme Judicial Council said on Sunday.
In a statement, the council noted that the commission did not provide details on the specific rulings issued in each case, leaving the outcomes of individual appeals unclear.
Speaking to Shafaq News, legal expert Habib Al-Quraishi noted that the next step is submitting the appeal results to the Federal Supreme Court for approval.
“Once ratified, the Iraqi president will set the date for the first parliamentary session to elect the speaker and deputies,” he added, predicting the Court would approve the results promptly and the session would be scheduled later this year.
Iraq conducted its sixth parliamentary elections since 2003 on November 11, with voter turnout exceeding 56%.
Article 20 of the IHEC Law allows parties and candidates to challenge the final results issued by the Board of Commissioners, beginning the day after the results are published. Appeals can be submitted at the National Office, any electoral branch, or directly to the Electoral Judicial Panel.
The law requires the Board of Commissioners to respond to the Panel’s requests within three working days. Following that, the Panel must rule on each case within ten working days of receiving the Board’s response, ensuring a timely review process.
Rulings on appeals may include rejecting the complaint, accepting it based on the evidence presented, or ordering corrective measures such as recounts or adjustments to the results, depending on the findings.