Iraq presidency council vetoes election bill

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BAGHDAD, Jul 24 (AFP): Iraq's three-member Presidency Council said Thursday it had rejected a provincial election bill, a move widely expected to delay October polls which are strongly backed by Washington.

"President Jalal Talabani, and his deputy Adel Abdel Mahdi, have agreed that the law of the provincial elections contains constitutional and procedural violations," a statement from Talabani's office said.

"Due to this, the two sides have agreed to officially reject the law," it said.

Mahdi's decision to back Talabani's call, involving returning the bill to parliament for redrafting, gives the Presidency Council a majority in rejecting it, even as they await the view of Council member Tariq al-Hashimi.

Talabani's announcement came after deputy parliament speaker Sheikh Khalid al-Attiya told AFP on Wednesday that the Presidency Council had decided to turn down the bill.