The Federal Supreme Court announced on Tuesday its rejection of a lawsuit filed by representatives of minorities against the Governor of Nineveh and the President of the Provincial Council. The lawsuit, bearing the number 194/Federal/2026, involved a demand by four current
and former members of the Council of Representatives to annul a decision by the Nineveh Provincial Council. The plaintiffs in the case included: Waad Mahmoud Ahmed al-Qaddo, representative of the Shabak quota; Ahlam Ramadan Fattah, representative of the Kakai component;
Khalid Sido Aziz, representative of the Yazidi quota; in addition to Duraid Jameel Ishaq, a member of the Council of Representatives for the fifth term, representing the Christian component. The lawsuit was directed against the President of the Nineveh Provincial
Council and its Governor, in their official capacities. The lawsuit focused on challenging the validity of Decision No. (168) for the year 2026 issued by the Nineveh Provincial Council. This decision approved, by absolute majority, the recommendations of a committee formed
under Administrative Order No. (7048) dated December 24, 2024. These recommendations pertain to residential lands for which owners possess official title deeds but are prohibited from building upon. The plaintiffs sought a ruling declaring the challenged decision unconstitutional. The Court issued
its decision to dismiss the plaintiffs' lawsuit due to a lack of jurisdiction to hear the case. This was based on the provisions of Article (93/Third) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq for the year 2005, in addition
to Article (31/Eleventh/3) of the Law of Provinces Not Organized into a Region No. (21) for the year 2008, as amended. The Court stated that this decision was issued unanimously and is final and binding, in accordance with Articles (93 and
94) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq for the year 2005, and Articles (4 and 5) of the Federal Supreme Court Law No. (30) for the year 2005, as amended. The decision was publicly understood on September 7,
2026.
