BAGHDAD - The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) of Iraq announced on Thursday that 7,744 candidates are eligible to run in the November parliamentary elections.

IHEC spokesperson Jumana Al-Ghalai told the official Iraqi News Agency that the final tally was confirmed after the commission audited and disqualified 848 other applicants.

The candidates will vie for 329 seats in Iraq's Council of Representatives, the parliament. The electoral process will be conducted in two phases: a special vote for security forces, prisoners, and hospital patients will be held on Nov 9, followed by the general public vote on Nov 11.

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The IHEC has set up 8,703 polling centers to serve more than 21 million registered voters. The commission's deputy spokesperson Nibras Abu Souda said earlier that the special vote will include 1,313,980 individuals, who will cast their ballots at 809 designated centers across the country.

The previous parliamentary elections in 2021 were marred by violent clashes in Baghdad, leading to a nearly year-long political deadlock before a government was formed.