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| Iraq |
| Iraqi parliament delays meeting on key voting law |
| 2008-08-04 |
| BAGHDAD - A parliament debate expected Sunday over Iraq's disputed provincial election bill that has raised tensions in the autonomous Kurdish region was delayed after too few lawmakers turned up to form a quorum. Observers said the failure to reach a quorum is another signal that lawmakers are struggling to strike a compromise over the draft that will govern polls originally scheduled for October, but which are now expected to be put off. Iraq's 275-member parliament on July 22 adopted a draft bill which would have allowed provincial polls -- keenly awaited by the United States -- to go ahead as scheduled on October 1. But the three-member presidency council, headed by President Jalal Talabani, sent the legislation back to MPs for reworking after charging that the parliamentary vote violated the constitution because it was held in secret. |
| Posted by:Steve White |