IHEC says unauthorized to respond to violations

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Thursday said that it is not legally authorized to take official action against political blocs that tear apart their opponents’ electoral placards. “The commission does not have a legal cover to take official action against political blocs that commit violations due to the absence of a law on parties in Iraq,” a commission member, Judge Qassem al-Abboudi said during a Baghdad-based press conference attended by IraqiNews.com news agency. The law introduced by the former civil administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, Paul Bremer, did not tackle violations, Abboudi added. SS (P)/SR 2