By Amir al-Saadi
BAGHDAD (AA) – Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council on Thursday said that newly-appointed electoral officials had begun recounting votes cast in the country’s recent parliamentary election.
On Wednesday, parliament voted in favor of conducting a manual recount of May 12 parliamentary poll results.
Shortly afterward, a nine-judge panel was appointed to assume the responsibilities of Iraq’s official electoral commission.
Results of the May 12 election remain dogged by dispute and controversy, including widespread allegations of vote-rigging.
Late last month, lawmakers first began calling for a vote recount. Electoral commission officials responded by warning of “potential civil unrest” if poll results were overturned.
Earlier this week, the government slapped a travel ban on electoral commission officials pending further investigation into fraud allegations.
Muqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia cleric and politician, has said that parliament lacks the authority to overturn election results.
Al-Sadr's Sairoon coalition dominated the May 12 polls, winning 54 parliamentary seats, according to official results.
The Sairoon coalition was followed by a Hashd al-Shaabi-linked coalition (47 seats) and Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's Victory bloc (42 seats).
