An Iraqi panel on Monday ordered a recount of ballots cast in Baghdad in the country's March 7 election. According to Reuters, electoral commissioner Hamdiya al-Husseini said the manual recount of more than 2.5 million ballots would start immediately.
The Iraqi capital accounts for over a fifth of seats in the 325-seat parliament and Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law alliance had sought a recount after coming a close second in the election. "We expect that this will change the results for the benefit of State of Law," said Kamal el-Saadi, a senior member of Maliki's coalition.
Husseini stressed it was only votes in Baghdad that were going to be retallied. "Most of the appeals were about the results in Baghdad and for this reason they only decided to order a recount in Baghdad," she was quoted as saying by Reuters.
