The Iraqi judiciary considers the budget delay a “violation of the constitution,” and Al-Sudani’s interrogation is approaching.
The Supreme Judicial Council sent an official letter to the House of Representatives regarding the government’s delay in sending the general budget schedules, considering that this delay constitutes a breach of the constitutional and legal obligations stipulated in Article 62/First of the Constitution.
The judiciary explained, according to a document obtained by Shafaq News Agency, that this failure gives the House of Representatives the authority to hold the government accountable in accordance with the oversight and constitutional powers granted to it. The court emphasized that failure to perform this duty constitutes legal grounds for questioning the Prime Minister, in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned article.
The letter, dated September 19, 2025, and signed by Chief Public Prosecutor Judge Najm Abdullah Ahmed, indicated that the Public Prosecution submitted its report to the House of Representatives following an inquiry by MP Mustafa Khalil Al-Karawi, stressing that Parliament has the authority to question the government about the reasons for the delay in submitting the budget.
In the same context, MP Hadi Hassan Al-Salami submitted an official request to the House of Representatives Presidency to table the interpellation of the Prime Minister during the next parliamentary session, stating that the failure to submit the budget tables represents a clear breach of the government’s constitutional obligations.
Al-Salami explained, according to an official document that reached Shafaq News Agency, that the request is based on the provisions of Article (61/Seventh-C) of the Constitution, Articles (27, 29, 31) of the Council of Representatives Law, and Internal Regulations No. (13) of 2018, pointing out that the budget issue is one of the most important topics of the interpellation that the Parliament Presidency must set a date for a special session regarding it.
In this context, Al-Salami told Shafaq News Agency that the passage of ten months without submitting the schedules represents a “catastrophe,” impacting operational and investment expenses, in addition to the suspension of final accounts and the delay in disbursing bonuses, promotions, and appointments in ministries, departments, and state institutions.
He added that the Public Prosecution Office had sent an official letter confirming that the government’s delay in submitting the budget schedules constituted a “flaw and a lack of constitutional commitment.”
Al-Salami indicated that he had collected the signatures of members of Parliament to question the Prime Minister. The Interrogations Committee approved the inclusion of the interpellation on the parliament’s agenda, but the parliament’s leadership has so far refused to include the interpellation of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on the agenda.
Shafaq.com