BAGHDAD: Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s calls for a recount of votes from Iraqi polls two weeks ago were rebuffed on Sunday (Monday in Manila) by the election commission amid a tight race to form the biggest bloc in parliament.

Maliki’s about-face from previous remarks that complaints over the March 7 general election would not affect the results was condemned by the Iraqiya bloc which is now nudging ahead of the premier’s State of Law Alliance.