DUBAI, UAE - The deadline for submitting appeals against Iraq’s parliamentary election results ends Thursday, as the electoral body says it has received more than 130 challenges and expects the number to rise before midnight.

Under the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) law, political parties and candidates have three days to appeal a decision by the Board of Commissioners. The three-day period starts the day after the results are published, meaning the deadline falls on Thursday.

Nibras Abu Souda, deputy spokesperson for the Commission, told the state newspaper on Thursday that the law gives the Commission seven days to review the appeals and send its report to the Electoral Judicial Panel.

The panel then has 10 days to issue its decisions before forwarding the final results to the Federal Supreme Court for approval.

Abu Souda said the law does not set a single timeframe for resolving all appeals together, because each case is handled individually. “Each appeal has its own legal duration and deadline,” she said.

The official confirmed that the IHEC had received more than 130 appeals as of Wednesday and expected more to arrive before the window closes.

Article 20 of the IHEC law states that an appeal may be filed at the National Office, any other IHEC office, or directly with the Judicial Panel.

It also requires the Board of Commissioners to respond to requests from the Judicial Panel within three working days. The panel must then issue a ruling within 10 working days of receiving the Board’s response.