Shafaq News/ On Friday, Judge OmarMohamed, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Independent HighElectoral Commission (IHEC), stated that the voting process in the specialelection for the Kurdistan Region Parliament is "proceeding smoothly."
Mohamed told reports that the doorsof 165 polling stations opened at 7:00 AM, including 12 stations located invarious areas and cities outside the Region.
The Judge also urged voters from thePeshmerga forces and internal security personnel “to remain calm and composedwhile casting their votes.”
"Watch this electoral processas you would watch a football match—without any tensions," Mohamed added,emphasizing that the use of mobile phones inside polling stations is strictlyprohibited.
Earlier today, the IHEC openedpolling stations for Peshmerga forces and internal security personnel to casttheir votes, noting that the voting process began at 7:00 AM in 165 pollingstations and will conclude at 6:00 PM, as scheduled by the IHEC.
A total of 1,091 candidates fromboth genders are competing for 100 seats in the Region, 5 of which are reservedfor minority groups, reduced from 11 seats by a decision from the FederalSupreme Court (the highest judicial authority in Iraq).
The number of seats allocated forwomen, according to the election law, must be at least 30.
The total number of voters is2,899,578, of whom 215,960 are eligible to vote in the special election. Theremaining 2,683,618 voters will participate in the general election nextSunday.
The legislative elections in theKurdistan Region have been postponed four times over the past two years due topolitical disputes, having originally been scheduled for 2022.
Since its establishment in the early1990s, the Region has witnessed five parliamentary terms, and this marks thesixth one.