Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Election recount under way in Baghdad
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Photos
Sitemap
Election recount under way in Baghdad
AFP - Tuesday, May 4
Send
IM Story
Print
Iraqi electoral employees recount ballots cast during the recent parliamentary election at the Al-Rasheed hotel in Baghdad. A controversial recount that could alter who becomes Iraq's prime minister has begun in Baghdad, the latest in a series of pivotal steps threatening the vote's credibility.
BAGHDAD (AFP) - – A controversial recount that could alter who becomes Iraq's prime minister began Monday in Baghdad, the latest in a series of pivotal steps threatening the vote's credibility.
The war-torn country's March 7 parliamentary poll has yet to produce a government and the outcome remains shrouded in doubt due to the recount and an imminent ruling on whether several winning candidates should be disqualified.
The United States is increasingly concerned that an initially credible election could unravel because of a political stalemate, a lack of democratic transparency and the potential disenfranchisement of a large number of voters.
The recount follows a successful appeal by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who alleged that he had lost votes because of violations at polling centres in Baghdad during the March 7 ballot.
No sooner was it under way than allegations of "ballot stuffing" were raised by a leading member of Maliki's State of Law Alliance, who hit out at how the recount was being conducted, and lodged an appeal to stop it.
Baghdad was by far the biggest prize in the election almost two months ago, with 70 seats on offer in a new 325-seat parliament.
"We will count 600 boxes today," Qassim al-Abbudi, an official with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), told reporters at the Rasheed hotel in the Iraqi capital where the recount is taking place.
Officials from the United Nations, European Union, the Arab League, and the US embassy in Baghdad are monitoring the process.
Former premier Iyad Allawi's secular Iraqiya coalition won the election, defeating Maliki by 91 votes to 89, according to results still to be ratified by the Supreme Court.
Both need 163 seats to form a majority government but coalition talks with smaller parties appear to have stalled.
Maliki won the vote in Baghdad -- taking 26 seats compared to Allawi's 24 -- in what was the second national election in Iraq since the 2003 US-led ouster of dictator Saddam Hussein.
But the recount could lead to a wider winning margin for the premier in the capital, allowing him to eventually overturn his two-seat defeat nationally.
Hussein al-Shahristani, Iraq's oil minister, and a close Maliki ally, however, hit out at IHEC's handling of the recount, insisting that voter lists be reconciled with the number of ballot papers sitting in 11,000 boxes.
"We presented a new complaint to the judicial assembly," said Shahristani, a member of Maliki's alliance.
"It shows that IHEC insists not to express the desire of voters, and we asked to compare the lists of voters names with voting papers in the boxes.
"So we demand the process stops or changes are made so that it works correctly."
At a briefing on Sunday, Ambassador Gary Grappo, head of the political section at the US Embassy in Baghdad, said he did not expect significant changes to the election result, following the Baghdad recount.
"We would hope and expect that the recount will take place in as transparent and credible fashion as the elections did on March 7," he said.
The recount coincides with a ruling expected this week on whether nine election-winning candidates will be disqualified.
The candidates are variously accused of links to Saddam's outlawed Baath party and military units during his reign.
Grappo said the role of the Justice and Accountability Committee (JAC) that compiled the list of candidates who could be stopped from taking up seats remained opaque.
"From our perspective we see the votes cast by individual citizens as sacrosanct, and now we see we have an organisation of questionable legitimacy trying to alter votes cast by citizens," he said.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on April 27 urged Iraqi leaders to resolve their rows and form a new government quickly.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
News Search
Top Stories
US inflation up 2% in March
United, Continental to form world's biggest airline
Greece rushes austerity cuts as anger builds
Election recount under way in Baghdad
Obama defends his US oil slick response
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Shroud of Turin 'mirrors' human suffering: pope
Obama defends his US oil slick response
United, Continental to form world's biggest airline
Higgins's snooker future in question over match-fixing claims
Obama jokes about his ratings and nationality
More Most Viewed »
Aliens may exist but contact would hurt: Hawking
Apple engineer loses iPhone prototype
French driving veil row escalates
Airlines want compensation as Europe's skies reopen
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Monday, 3 May 2010 Four killed in Darfur protest
Spain reverses rise in unemployment: report
Explosion damages HSBC branch in Athens, no injuries
|
Norsk Hydro to buy Vale's aluminium assets
Pope, in respite from scandal, visits Turin Shroud
|
Higgins's snooker future in question over match-fixing claims
Obama visits scene of US oil spill
Pakistan Taliban group claims NY bomb attempt in video: SITE
Bomb strikes amid concern about Afghan deaths
China orders tighter school security after attacks
Push for Afghan role delays military building
Report: Lightning kills at least 16 in Bangladesh
Rescue workers recover 28 bodies from China mine
Maoist strike shuts down Nepal; gov't urges talks
Pakistani army kills 22 Taliban near Afghan border
Afghan civilian deaths are rising, government says
Pakistan jets kill 13 militants: military
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
"Iron Man 2" opens big at international box office
Iron Man 2 opens big at international box office
|
Two bomb blasts hit Afghanistan
Swastika on British parliament targets far-right
North Korea's Kim seeking lifeline in China
|
Canada broadcaster seeks to revolutionize energy consumption
Bomb hits near NATO base in Afghanistan: official
'Trust' lacking in stalled climate talks: Merkel, Calderon
Thai red shirts ignore new government threats
|
Four killed in Darfur protest over cash scam
United, Continental to announce merger plans: US media
Obama defends his US oil slick response
India court to deliver verdict on Mumbai attack suspect
|
Suicide blast outside foreign base in Afghanistan
|
Taiwan says will not seek U.S. help to fight wars
|
Obama Holds British Petroleum Responsible For Spill As Administration Struggles With Response
Sikh Summit In Washington DC To Engage Lawmakers
Boston Water Unfit For Drinking After "Catastrophic" Pipe Burst; State of Emergency Declared
Videos appear to show Pakistan Taliban chief alive
Iran does not need to gain West's trust: Ahmadinejad
N.Korean leader on rare visit to China
NY police look for suspects behind failed car bombing
Australia to establish arsonist database
Video appears to show Pakistan Taliban chief alive
Maoist strike shuts down Nepal for second day
Thai 'red shirts' ignore new government threats
Swimmer Thorpe scotches Olympic comeback speculation
Reports: NKorean leader travels to China
Mumbai attacks suspect faces court verdict
India court to deliver verdict on Mumbai attack suspect
U.S. pressures BP over oil spill as Obama visits Gulf
Pakistan Taliban chief's threatens US in new video: SITE
Euro, stocks tumble on doubts over Greek bailout
Taiwan stocks end down; China, eurozone worries weigh
Activist icon laments Toyota's easy ride in Japan
Oliver Stone inks TV deal with Epix
Seoul shares fall 1.2 pct weighed by techs, Doosan
Pakistani c.bank sells 65 bln rupees of T-bills
S.Korea prices, manufacturing pick up, stir hike talk
China targets `foreign forces' in Web crackdown
PAKISTAN
Arizona dilemma: who is a legal resident and who isn't?
China's central bank hikes banks' reserve minimum
NZ April commodity prices hit record high
O'Brien says tour best cure for "Tonight" debacle
Oliver Stone inks TV deal with Epix
English Lake District: Japan tourists' donations help
"Thriller" voted most influential pop video in poll
Dream box office sales for 'Nightmare on Elm Street'
Polanski says extradition case based on a lie
Broadway shows go on after car bomb attempt
Rush documentary wins Tribeca audience award
Polanski says extradition case based on a lie
|
O'Brien says tour best cure for Tonight debacle
|
Iron Man 2 opens big at international box office
|
Thriller voted most influential pop video in poll
|
Rush documentary wins Tribeca audience award
|
Oliver Stone inks TV deal with Epix
|
Election recount under way in Baghdad
US-TECH Summary
Iraq starts vote recount, may take almost 2 weeks
Electronic medical orders may save lives
Iraq starts vote recount, may take almost 2 weeks
|
Greece rushes austerity cuts as anger builds
Suicide attack targets US base in Afghanistan
Election recount under way in Baghdad
Massive Snowstorm On Saturn Visible On Earth
U.S. envoy arrives for Israeli-Palestinian talks
|
Reformed Afghan suicide bomber joins police
Shakira To Kick Off 2010 Tour In America
UK Conservatives could secure tiny majority: poll
|
Failing United and Continental Form World's Biggest Airline With Merger
Palin E-Mail Hacker Convicted
Coast Guard Responding To Second Oil Rig Accident In Louisiana
FDA: "Vita Breath" Herbal Supplement Contains Dangerous Lead Levels
First Detroit Officer Killed On Duty In 6 Years
Michigan Becomes Latest State To Ban Public Smoking
Study Suggests Obese Kids More Likely To Be Bullied
Director Adam McKay: Paramount Says No To Anchorman 2
NKorean leader reportedly visiting China
Intel: US missiles kill 4 in northwest Pakistan
Indian court convicts Pakistani for Mumbai siege
An Error has occured |
Egyptian protesters clash with police
|
Maoists shut down Nepal, testing peace process
Three reject Spanish court as car bomb trial opens
|
Thai premier to offer political solution to crisis
Kuwait says detains several in security probe
|
Beijing police shoot man who abducted girl
Video appears to show Pakistan Taliban chief alive
FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in Taiwan
Pakistani stocks down; rupee weakens; o/n rates up
FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in New Zealand
S.Korea finmin "careful" on interest rate policy
Seoul shares fall as tech, Doosan firms drop
Swiss say up to US to look into Polanski claims
Apple iPad reaches 1 million sales faster than iPhone
|
IBM buys cloud computing software firm Cast Iron
|
Watchdog names 40 'predators of the press'
Indonesian jailed for killing Japanese tourist
China guards against overseas hostile forces on Web
|
"Dark Knight" sequel gets official release date
Electronic medical orders may save lives
|
Rush documentary wins Tribeca audience award
|
Dark Knight sequel gets official release date
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights