ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - A court in Baghdad on Sunday reinstated Ammar al-Qaisi as the head of the Baghdad Provincial Council, a day after Ammar al-Hamdani of the Sunni Taqadum Party was elected to replace him after he was removed by a majority vote on grounds of “mismanagement and job exploitation.”
After his reinstatement, Qaisi said the court’s decision showed respect to the constitution and the country’s “legitimate institutions” and considered his dismissal as “an illegal procedure."
"After a series of legal violations.. to dismiss us from the position of head of the Baghdad Provincial Council, the Iraqi judiciary issued today a judicial order to stop the dismissal procedures and reinstate us as head of the Council, affirming the rule of law and respect for the constitution and legitimate institutions,” Qaisi announced.
Qaisi said he was committed to "serving Baghdad and its people, and I renew my confidence in the Iraqi judiciary, which has proven its support for the truth.”
The Baghdad Provincial Council on Thursday voted by an absolute majority to remove Qaisi from the Azm Alliance from the position after not being convinced with his answers during a session questioning the chair on grounds of “mismanagement and job exploitation.”
Qaisi had claimed that the decision was the result of “known political motives,” slamming his dismissal as “excluding reformist voices.”
His reinstatement came after Qaisi resorted to the judiciary to appeal the decision.
Qaisi had been accused of lying about his health to obtain sick leaves.
Following Qaisi’s dismissal, Hamdani had said that the position of chair of the council belonged to the Taqadum Party.
Iraq held provincial council elections in December 2023. Qaisi was elected as the Baghdad council chief in February 2024.
In September 2024, Qaisi issued a decision to dismiss Hamdani as a council member under the pretext of not attending six out of 15 council sessions. The decision came days after Taqadum had announced its intention to replace the chair.
Updated at 02:00 pm with a statement by Ammar al-Qaisi on his reinstatement
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