Administrative Court to review legality of Kirkuk Provincial Council formation

Shafaq News/ Administrative Court will review the legality of the formation of Kirkuk's provincial administration and council, established in a session held at Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad, a source in Kirkuk province reported on Saturday.

"The Administrative Court will review the complaints submitted by members of the Kirkuk Provincial Council from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Arab Coalition, and the Turkmen Front. According to the court's notification, the review is scheduled for Sunday, November 24," the source informed Shafaq News Agency.

"The court has postponed the case twice due to multiple complaints and to consolidate them into a single review session."

In this context, Nazem Al-Shammari, Secretary-General of the Arab Opinion Authority in Kirkuk, told Shafaq News Agency, "The Administrative Court will review the case of the formation of 'Al-Rashid Hotel Government,' which was established through illegal means."

Al-Shammari called on the Administrative Court to ensure justice for Kirkuk's components by annulling the session, which took place away from Kirkuk without justification, on a holiday, and without notifying seven council members from the Arab Coalition, the Turkmen Front, and the KDP.

"The Iraqi legislator was clear in enacting the law on provincial councils and elections, emphasizing the need for the participation of all components and representatives of Kirkuk in the administration of the province and the formation of the local government to maintain security and stability in Kirkuk due to its unique and sensitive situation."

Al-Shammari continued, "Kirkuk enjoys security and stability with its diverse components, and the Iraqi legislator recognized that no single entity can govern Kirkuk alone," adding, "What happened was that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and some Arab defectors held a session that everyone agreed was unofficial, illegal, incomplete, and contrary to the laws and customs that Iraq has followed in forming governments jointly."

Last Saturday, Hassan Turan, head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, announced that the Administrative Court would review the case of the local government of Kirkuk.

The court was initially scheduled to review the complaints on October 22 but postponed the session to consider all three complaints submitted by the seven objecting members: two from the KDP, three Arabs from Al-Siyada Bloc, and two from the Turkmen Front.

The court set a new date for November 6, but the session did not take place.

On August 10, the governor and head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council were elected in Baghdad without the participation of KDP members and several Arab deputies. Ribwar Taha was appointed governor, and Mohammed Hafiz was appointed head of the provincial council.

Before the meeting in Baghdad, three blocs—the KDP, the Arab Coalition, and the Turkmen Front—announced their boycott of the session, declaring that the council meeting, which resulted in the election of the local government and the head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, was illegal, as they were not invited to attend.

On August 12, the KDP bloc in the Kirkuk Provincial Council deemed the election of the governor and head of the provincial council illegal.