Elections

William reports that: The latest report from the IECI or Independent Electoral Commision for Iraq makes intesting reading.

• On Kurdistan the report comments:
  Kurdish MPs have requested that the future Kurdistan electoral commission should have ultimate authority within Kurdish boundaries. The UIA (United Iraqi Alliance) remains that the central IECI/IHEC should be the final authority over all electoral matters. Also, Kurdish MPs have requested that nomination of commissioners be made by the Presidency, instead of the Prime Minister.
• On the Revised constitution it comments:
  The Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) has not initiated proceedings, as there is no agreement on its Chairmanship and on the representation of Turkomen and Christian groups within it. It is expected, however, that the review process will start as soon as the CRC is completed. The review process will last for four months - excluding two months of Parliamentary recess – and after discussion in the CoR, a referendum will be conducted no more than one year later.
• On corruption within the IECI the report comments:
  The BoC has continued discussing the status of Adel Al-Lami, the suspended IECI CEO. At the same time, the Public Integrity Commission has continued its investigation of BoC members Ayar and Hindawi, following separate accusations from Al-Lami.
• On the continually delayed local elections it comments:
  The IECI Operations Division has accepted the draft National Operations Plan for Governorate Elections (NOP) and this plan is in its final stages of translation. Once all IECI sections have completed their individual plans, they will be combined to form the IECI/IHEC Strategic Operations Plan for Governorate Elections. This plan will not be made available in any format before an election date has been identified by the Council of Representatives.