837 candidates disqualified from Iraq’s November election, included five dead

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission said Saturday that 837 candidates have been excluded from the upcoming parliamentary election, scheduled for Nov. 11, citing a range of legal, administrative, and procedural reasons.

In a statement, the commission said “183 candidates were removed by their parties or alliances, while 293 were disqualified under the Accountability and Justice Law.”

Another 90 were excluded due to criminal records or judicial rulings, while five were removed following their deaths, the commission said. It also cited incomplete nomination documents in 96 cases, Integrity Commission decisions in 20 cases, falsified academic records for 11 candidates, and six disqualifications involving Interior Ministry employees. Three candidates withdrew voluntarily, and 130 were removed for other reasons.

The total number of approved candidates now stands at 7,768, including 2,248 women and 5,520 men.

On Oct. 16, the commission fined 400 candidates for violations of campaign rules, including premature campaigning before the official start on Oct. 3.