Several violations have been reported during the special voting process for the Kurdistan Parliament’s sixth term elections, according to Nabard Omar, the head of the Region’s electoral committee within Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

The violations, predominantly involving the use of mobile phones inside polling stations, were observed in both Sulaimaniyah and Halabja. Omar addressed the issue in a press statement, confirming that steps have been taken to resolve the problem. As a result, mobile phone use is now strictly prohibited within polling stations.

Despite the ban, video footage obtained by Kurdistan 24 showed security force members using mobile phones to photograph ballots. Complaints regarding these violations have been filed, and Omar emphasized that political parties in possession of evidence are encouraged to officially report the incidents.

Preliminary turnout figures for the special voting are expected by noon, Omar added. The special voting process, which began at 7:00 AM for security forces, will continue until 6:00 PM. A total of 215,960 special voters are participating in this phase of the election.

The incident has raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process ahead of the general vote, scheduled for Sunday, October 20. Local and international observers are expected to closely monitor the situation to ensure the integrity of the upcoming election.