"Rate of electoral fraud is zero. It is not possible," said IHEC chief

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Judge Omar Ahmed, the head of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), has confirmed that 165 polling stations have been set up across Iraq for the special voting process in the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections.

This announcement came during a press conference held on Friday, as the special voting for security forces got underway.

"Polling stations in all four electoral districts of the Kurdistan Region opened at 7 AM, and the voting machines are operational," Ahmed stated.

He elaborated that out of the 165 polling stations, 153 are located within the Kurdistan Region, while the remaining 12 are distributed across other Iraqi cities to accommodate eligible Kurdish voters residing outside the region.

Ahmed emphasized the smooth progress of the voting process and urged voters to maintain calm.

"We ask voters to remain patient as there is ample time for voting. We want them to enjoy this democratic process rather than create conflicts," he said.

The IHEC chief also reiterated that mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside voting booths throughout the Kurdistan Region.

Addressing concerns about potential irregularities, Ahmed asserted, "The rate of electoral fraud is zero and is not possible."

He also clarified the commission's stance on fingerprint verification issues: "We have a 'takhatty' (bypass) system in place for those who visited registration centers and were approved as not having readable fingerprints. Only these individuals are exempt from fingerprint verification; this exception doesn't apply to others."

This special voting day marks the beginning of the electoral process for the Kurdistan Parliament's sixth term. The general election, open to all eligible voters in the Kurdistan Region, is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.

According to IHEC statistics, out of the total 2,889,878 eligible voters for this election, 215,960 are classified as special voters participating in today's poll.

As the special voting concludes, attention will now turn to the preparations for Sunday's general election, where the broader populace of the Kurdistan Region will have their say in shaping the political landscape for the coming term.

The successful conduct of both the special and general voting processes is crucial for the region's political stability and democratic governance.