Politicians are continuing to question the head of the Iraqi High Election Commission (IHEC) over corruption allegations in a process which has thrown the integrity of recent elections into question.

Faraj al-Haidari, head of the IHEC which is charged with ensuring fair elections, was questioned by parliament two weeks ago in connection with claims that the body permitted clear violations during January’s provincial elections. According to Sabah al-Sa'idi, head of parliament’s transparency committee, the charges include “violations in the voter lists and rigging in favour of certain political blocs during the provincial council elections.”

Al-Sa’idi has also alleged that the commission was involved in financial corruption, taking money for the purchase of personal cars and home furnishings.

Parliament has not yet come to a decision regarding the veracity of the allegations, and demands for the removal of al-Haidari or the entire election commission are still being debated.

Al-Haidari, who according to MPs present at the questioning, failed to present convincing answers in the body’s defence, says that the attacks are a political witch hunt and has warned that the proceedings could disrupt the holding of national elections in January.

“In case a vote of no confidence is used against the supreme election commission, the forthcoming elections will not be held on time and they will have to be delayed for months from the scheduled date of January 16, 2010," he said. Al-Haidari is a former leader of the Kurdistan Democratic (KDP) party in Baghdad who resigned his post to take up the commission post.

According to IHEC chairman, Qasim al-Abboudi, “the UN is certain about the transparency of the commission during recent provincial elections.”

At the moment, parliamentary circles speak about three potential outcomes to the crisis. In the first case, a vote of no-confidence could be levelled against al-Haidari and al-Abboudi; the second calls for a vote of no-confidence against the entire commission; while the third calls for the establishment of a new higher committee to supervise the work of the commission during forthcoming elections.

But according to Kareem al-Yacoubi, a Fadhila party MP, “the first option is supported by the majority of MPs who have demanded that a vote of no-confidence be held against supreme elections commission chairman Faraj al-Haidari, and its electoral department chief, Qasim al-Abboudi.”

Parliament has already set up a committee to consult with the UN to replace the two officials, said al-Yacoubi, adding that the measure was necessary to safeguard the integrity of the election process.

Al-Yacoubi added that by only targeting the commission leadership there would be no pretext for delaying January’s elections.

Even as the controversy has grown, a number of leading figures have warned that the debate over the commission is jeopardising January’s elections and distracting parliament from the important business of passing the long-delayed election law.

In a statement to Niqash, al-Abboudi reiterated that the removal of commission members “practically means no elections can be held [in January]… If parliament contemplates our removal from duty and applies a vote of no-confidence against the commission it has to think about the consequences of taking that decision."

“Iraq's parliament has kept itself so involved in the question of a vote of no confidence against the commission and ignored endorsing the most important law during its legislative term: the election law," said al-Abboudi.

Given the increasing controversy, U.S ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill and Chief Commander of U.S Forces in Iraq Raymond Odierno released a joint statement, saying they share the concern of the UN mission in Iraq about any measures taken against the electoral commission which could jeopardize parliamentary elections.

Accordingly, there is some belief that a compromise deal can still be reached whereby the commission will be kept as it is, under the same leadership, but with a new supervising body established to oversee its work.

The commission says that it has held talks with several political blocs including the Reform Movement of Ibrahim al-Jaafari in a bid to further explain their position and avert a crisis.

Meanwhile the commission says it is busy continuing with its job of preparing for January’s elections.

“We are still pursuing our work of registering the political entities,” said Amal Bayriqdar, vice-chairman of the commission, adding that parliament’s priority should be the passage of the election law.

Bayriqdar warned parliament and the Iraqi government against the removal of the commission leadership. “They are aware of the gravity and sensitivity of this issue at this stage, and should they desire to remove us, we will get out, but we will defend ourselves and will never remain silent," she said.