In response to ongoing legal disputes surrounding the Kurdistan Parliament elections, the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has announced a suspension of all activities pending a ruling by the Federal Supreme Court.

Jumana Ghalai, spokesperson for the IHEC, confirmed on Wednesday that the commission's work and election preparations have been halted following the Federal Supreme Court's decision to suspend certain aspects of the Kurdistan Parliament election process. This action stems from a complaint challenging the implementation of Article 2, which pertains to candidate registration and approval.

The Federal Supreme Court's ruling specifically affects the allocation of parliamentary seats in the Kurdistan Region, reducing the total number from 111 to 100 seats. Under this adjustment, Erbil would have 34 seats, Sulaymaniyah 38 seats, Duhok 25 seats, and Halabja 3 seats.

Earlier this year, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) expressed strong opposition to the court's decisions, stating that they would refuse to participate in the electoral process if the rulings were enforced. The KDP condemned the imposition of external influence on Kurdistan's electoral laws, characterizing such interference as unconstitutional.

The legal controversy originated on February 21st when the Federal Supreme Court suspended the Kurdistan parliamentary elections law, introducing significant changes such as dividing the region into four electoral constituencies and eliminating the 11 quota seats designated for minority representation.

The outcome of the pending legal proceedings will be critical in determining the path forward for the Kurdistan Parliament elections. Meanwhile, the IHEC remains in a state of suspended activity until the Federal Supreme Court reaches a final decision on the matter.