Iraqi MP rules out emergency parliamentary session on IHEC extension

Shafaq News/ An emergency parliamentary session to extend the term of the Independent High Electoral Commission's (IHEC) Board of Commissioners has been deemed "illegitimate" due to procedural violations, according to MP Zahra Al-Bajari from the "Sadiqoun" bloc, on Sunday.

Al-Bajari stated, "The Parliament's internal regulations mandate that extraordinary sessions can only be convened by the Speaker in coordination with his deputies or upon the written request of at least 25 MPs. Neither condition has been fulfilled. Furthermore, MPs must be formally notified of the session’s date at least 48 hours in advance, which was not adhered to."

"MPs learned about the extraordinary session through media outlets rather than official channels. As a result, we rule out the possibility of holding the session today due to the absence of a quorum," she added.

Notably, the "Sadiqoun" bloc, affiliated with Asaib Ahl Al-Haq—one of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) factions, alongside Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

The controversy arose after Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani’s office issued a statement invoking constitutional and parliamentary provisions to justify the session, "Based on Article 58/First of the Constitution and Article 34/Third of the Parliament's internal regulations, and in light of the imminent expiration of the Board of Commissioners' term in the IHEC, and according to Article 7/First of the amended IHEC Law No. 31 of 2019, I call on the Parliament to hold an extraordinary session on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 1:00 PM to decide on the extension of the Board's term."

According to a parliamentary source, the IHEC’s legal term is set to expire on January 7, 2025.