Iraq’s elections: Court arrests one for voter deception
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Tuesday, the Karkh Investigation Court announced the arrest of a parliamentary candidate accused of deceiving voters by promising government jobs, loans, and social welfare benefits in exchange for votes.
In a statement, the court said investigations had been completed and the case was referred under provisions of the elections law, with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) notified to formally exclude the candidate.
The Supreme Judicial Council stressed the importance of adhering to laws regulating the electoral process, instructing all courts not to tolerate any practices that undermine the integrity and transparency of the elections.
Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 11, 2025, are already surrounded by legal disputes, candidate disqualifications, and warnings of possible attempts to delay the vote.
IHEC has disqualified hundreds of candidates for violations ranging from de-Baathification measures to criminal records, corruption charges, and forged documents. Official data shows 627 candidates were barred out of 7,440 applicants, including 290 under accountability and justice provisions and 106 with criminal restrictions.
According to IHEC’s timeline, campaigning will begin on October 8 and run until 24 hours before the special voting day. Roughly 30 million Iraqis out of a population of 46 million are eligible to cast their ballots. More than 7,900 candidates are competing for 329 seats in parliament, spread across over 400 parties and 140 alliances—making it one of the largest electoral contests in Iraq’s post-2003 history
