Supreme Court's ruling has a political overtone; member of Al-Maliki's Coalition

Shafaq News/ Leading figure in Nouri Al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition, Adel al-Mane', said that the Supreme Federal Court's decision to reject bids against the Parliament's inaugural session is marred by a "political overtone".

Iraq's highest court on Tuesday rejected a motion filed by MP Basem Khashan contesting the election of the Parliament Speaker and his deputies.

The court said that MP Khaled al-Darraji chairing the session does not violate the constitution.

Per the court's ruling, the legislative assembly's first session and the consequent vote for its presidium were adjudicated "legitimate".

"The Court mixed the politics with law. In fact, it gave precedence to the political aspect, rather than the legal aspect," he said, "the ruling has an obvious political overtone."

Al-Mane' said that the Supreme Federal Court was subject to political pressures, "it happened in the appeal against the results of the Iraqi parliamentary election."

The leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, welcomed the Supreme Federal Court's ruling in the complaint challenging the legitimacy of the parliament's inaugural session.

"Once again, the Iraqi judiciary proves its integrity, independence, and resistance to political pressures," al-Sadr tweeted.

"We are making progress toward forming a national majority government. Our door is opened to those we think highly of," he added.

The Populist Shiite Cleric cited "opposition and boycott" as healthy alternatives for the parties hesitant about allying themselves with his party.

"No for subordination, no for violence, no for breaking the law," he concluded.