ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR) has stated that Iraq’s electoral commission’s decision to disqualify candidates after the list’s finalization brings the removal process’ fairness and legal basis into question.

Throughout the preparations for the Iraqi parliamentary elections, the Independent High Electoral Committee (IHEC) disqualified nearly 850 candidates under various pretexts, mainly on charges of not meeting the standards of “good conduct.”

The exclusion procedures “lack legal clarity and procedural transparency and undermine the principle of electoral fairness,” according to a statement released by the observatory, noting that the IHEC’s “expansion of power” raises questions regarding the constitutional requirements to ensure “equal opportunity for all candidates.”

The organization claimed to have documented several instances of candidates’ approval to participate in the elections being annuled “without any final judicial rulings or official evidence,” while in other cases, financial penalties were imposed instead of exclusions, “revealing the absence of uniform standards in applying the laws.”

The IOHR further argued that relying on the criterion of “good conduct” without specific legal incentives “opens the door to subjective and selective interpretation,” leading to accusations over the commission’s abuse of power.

It added that the measures might disclose signs of political pressure or external interference, undermining the commission’s transparency.

“These decisions are often interpreted as the result of political pressure or undisclosed interference in the Commission's work, negatively impacting the transparency and independence of the electoral process,” read the statement.

Currently, more than 7,750 candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats under a proportional representation system.

At 7:00 am local time on Sunday, early elections began in Iraq for special forces and members of the security services, in addition to certain internally displaced persons (IDPs) and detainees in designated institutions.

The country’s general vote will be held two days later on Tuesday, where around 20 million registered voters can cast a ballot.