Baghdad election recount to start next week

Iraq's electoral commission says a court-ordered recount of votes from last month's inconclusive election could begin as early as next week.

Independent High Electoral Commission official Sardar Abdul-Karim told the AP on Wednesday his office expects to submit its report in two days on how the recount will be conducted and then plans to start the recount as early as next week.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki won a court ruling Monday in his demand for a recount of 2.5 million votes in Baghdad _ something that could make his secular rival Ayad Allawi's fragile two-seat lead in parliament disappear.

Allawi says he supports the recount but is concerned that it could be conducted to favor al-Maliki.