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Iraqi PM's Alliance: Election Tainted by Up to 750,000 Fraudulent Votes

   VOA News 11 April 2010
   Iraqi Oil Minister and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's political bloc
   member,  Hussain  al-Shahristani,  displays  an elections application,
   during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 Apr 2010

Photo: AP

   Iraqi Oil Minister and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's political bloc
   member,  Hussain  al-Shahristani,  displays  an elections application,
   during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 Apr 2010

   Iraqi  Prime  Minister  Nouri  al-Maliki's political grouping says its
   investigation  into  last month's parliamentary election has uncovered
   evidence of fraud affecting up to 750,000 votes.
   Mr.  Maliki's State of Law alliance said Sunday its estimated tally of
   fraudulent  votes  had  significantly  affected  the  outcome  of  the
   election, which made the grouping the second largest in parliament.
   Alliance  spokesman  Hajim  al-Hasani  says  it found evidence of vote
   manipulation  in  five  provinces,  including  Baghdad - which has the
   largest share of parliamentary seats.
   He  says the alliance has filed a complaint about the alleged fraud to
   an  Iraqi  election  appeals committee and wants a recount of votes in
   those provinces.
   International observers have said the March 7 election was fair.  Its
   results were inconclusive, leaving the two main groupings far short of
   a parliamentary majority.
   Official  results  made  the Iraqiya alliance of former Prime Minister
   Iyad  Allawi the largest in parliament with 91 seats, two ahead of Mr.
   Maliki's alliance. Both groups have been seeking coalition partners to
   build a majority in the 325-seat assembly.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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