Calls to reinstate indelible ink ahead of Iraq's parliamentary elections
On Sunday, the Arab Council in Kirkuk urged Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to reverse its decision to eliminate the use of indelible ink in the November 11 parliamentary elections, warning the move could undermine public trust in the process.
In a statement, the council described the ink's use as 'vital to maintaining transparency and trust,' particularly in Kirkuk, a province historically marked by disputes over electoral integrity.
In addition to its objection to the ink removal, the council called on IHEC to enforce recent rulings by the Federal Supreme Court that require a comprehensive audit of the voter registry, questioning the commission's delay in applying these decisions.
The council also pointed to what it described as the 'ongoing registration of large numbers of Kurdish voters in Kirkuk,' warning that the trend could shift the province's demographic makeup and risk further destabilizing its already fragile social fabric.
Earlier, IHEC confirmed that indelible ink would no longer be used in the voting process, citing the advanced security features embedded in biometric voter cards, which it considers sufficient to prevent duplicate voting and safeguard electoral integrity.
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