893 candidates run for elections in Diwaniya

Diwaniya-Candidates DIWANIYA / IraqiNews.com: The director of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) office in Diwaniya said on Tuesday that 57 political blocs, include 893 candidates, will run for 28 seats during the next provincial elections. “The 893 candidates, includes 238 women, will run for 28 seats of the Diwaniya provincial council and their names were sent to the debaathification authority in Baghdad through the IHEC to filter it,” Hassan al-Waeli told IraqiNews.com, noting that the number of voters after registering those born in 1991 rose to 594,000 in Diwaniya. The number of polling stations in Diwaniya is 243 throughout the province,” he added. Diwaniya, a Shiite province, lies 180 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. In 2002, the population of Diwaniya was estimated at 420,000. The area around the province, which is well irrigated from the nearby Euphrates River, is often considered to be one of the most fertile parts of Iraq, and is heavily cultivated. The town is located on the main rail transport corridor between Baghdad and Basra. For birdwatchers, Diwaniya is a city with a rich bird list, as it has a wide range of biodiversity. SH (S)/SR 2