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Baghdad: Iraq's parliament failed to approve a draft provincial elections law on Tuesday because of disagreement on voting in the disputed city of Kirkuk, lawmakers said.
It was unclear when parliament would convene again to consider the draft, which has to be passed so the electoral commission can prepare for elections.
At one stage Kurdish lawmakers—who have objected to attempts to delay voting in Kirkuk—walked out of parliament in protest.
Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki has said provincial elections would be held on October 1, but that looks increasingly unlikely.
The electoral commission has said it needs three months to prepare once the law has been passed.
"It needs more time for discussion and it also needs a political consensus. But I don't know how this issue will be solved," said Safia Al Shuail, a lawmaker.
Hashim Al Taie, head of a parliament committee, said the Kurds objected to a provision that sought to either postpone the election or to share power among the ethnic groups.
Fouad Masoum, the head of the Kurdish alliance in parliament, rejected the new provision, saying it is "a violation of the constitution and contradicts democracy."
Minority Kurds, who run the largely autonomous northern Kurdistan region, see Kirkuk as their ancient capital and want a constitutionally mandated referendum to be held to decide who controls the northern city.
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