Iraq election commission rejects calls for vote recount

By Amir al-Saadi

BAGHDAD

Iraq’s official electoral commission on Thursday said it would not comply with a parliamentary decision to partially annul results of the country’s May 12 parliamentary polls and conduct a manual recount.

At a press conference held in Baghdad, commission head Maan al-Hitawi described Monday’s parliamentary decision as “illegal”.

The electoral commission, al-Hitawi said, was now awaiting a ruling on the issue by Iraq’s Supreme Court, the country’s highest judicial authority.

He went on to reassure voters and political parties that final results of the poll would “reflect the will of the voting public”.