Baghdad, April 19: An Iraqi election panel on Monday ordered a manual recount of ballots for the capital Baghdad in a move that could affect who becomes the country’s next prime minister, electoral officials said.
“The judicial panel decided to recount the votes in Baghdad,” said Hamdiyah al-Husseini, of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), following an appeal by incumbent premier Nuri al-Maliki after an inconclusive March 7 poll.
A second IHEC official, Iyad al-Kenani, confirmed that it would be a manual recount.
Baghdad, with a total of 70 seats, was by far the biggest prize for parties who competed in last month’s election, which will eventually lead to a new parliament comprising 325 MPs.
Maliki’s State of Law Alliance won 26 seats in the capital according to results that have yet to be officially ratified.
Iyad Allawi, who narrowly beat Maliki into second place nationwide — 91 seats to 89 — gained 24 seats in Baghdad.
A key Maliki ally said the recount was a direct result of the State of Law’s appeal.
“The committee discussed all the documents and evidence that prove that there was some manipulation in voting stations,” said Hassen al-Senaed, a State of Law parliamentarian.
“The manipulation included the changing of signatures and the removal of names and numbers and changing of ballots.
“As well as witnesses who confirm this manipulation, the appeal committee was convinced on the basis of this evidence and they took the decision to recount in all stations in Baghdad,” he added.
The judicial panel that ordered the Baghdad recount was established by IHEC to handle complaints from aggrieved parties about the conduct of the election.
–Agencies