By Ali Mohamed

ERBIL, Iraq

The election commission in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region on Wednesday extended the deadline for candidates to apply to run in the region’s parliamentary election.

“The deadline was extended for four days to end on July 29,” commission spokesman Shirwan Zarar told a press conference held in Erbil.

He said the deadline was extended "upon the request of some electoral blocs".

According to the spokesman, 29 electoral blocs have already registered to run in the September 30 election.

Candidates will vie for seats in the 111-member assembly in the Kurdish region.

The polls are expected to see a heated race between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and the opposition Gorran Movement.