BAGHDAD – Iraq’s vice president announced on Monday that parliamentary polls will be held on April 30, 2014, confirming an earlier parliament decision, though lawmakers have yet to approve rules governing the election.



The lack of agreement on the election law, which sets the voting system and rules for the polls, means the election could be delayed past April, but MPs insisted the law would pass later on Monday.



While a date for the election was set out in a separate piece of legislation, the election law has been at the center of a political wrangle for weeks, with disputes ranging from how many seats would be up for grabs, to the voting system to be used. “His excellency Vice President Khudayr Al-Khuzaie ... issued a presidential decree specifying April 30, 2014 as the date for holding parliamentary elections,” a statement posted on Khuzaie’s official website said.



Khuzaie is standing in for President Jalal Talabani, who has been in Germany for nearly a year receiving treatment for a stroke. – AFP