Iraq elections law vote slated for Tuesday

BAGHDAD, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament has put votes for the provincial elections law and a complementary budget on its schedule for Tuesday, a key lawmaker said Monday.

Ahmed Anwar with the Kurdish bloc in Parliament said Monday debates would continue on the election laws in the Tuesday session, following a collapsed move on the measure during the weekend, Voices of Iraq reported.

Anwar said consultations were ongoing regarding the status of Kirkuk, and lawmakers had agreed to an open session on the measure, a sentiment backed by the deputy speaker of Parliament, Khalad al-Aatiya.

Kurdish lawmakers stormed out of an earlier session on the elections law due to secret voting on key provisions regarding Kirkuk.

"Consultations among the parliamentary blocs have reached advanced stages as far as voting over the laws on provincial elections was concerned," the deputy speaker said.

Kurdish lawmakers last week said they would consider Kirkuk part of Iraqi Kurdistan, causing skirmishes among the various ethnic communities in the north.

The Iraqi Parliament passed a version of the provincial election law July 22, but the measure was rejected by President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd.