The campaign for Iraq's parliamentary elections officially started today amid a controversy over a ban on number of candidates. The start of election campaigning had been postponed by more than a week to allow more time for appeals from banned candidates. <br/><br/>Electoral authorities initially banned nearly 500 candidates links to the Ba'ath party of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. But the list was later cut down to about 170. Nearly 6,200 candidates are competing for the 325 seats in parliament for the March 7 election.<br/><br/>Meanwhile the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Iraq Ad Melkert has called on the country’s political leaders to step up their efforts to ensure that next month’s Council of Representatives election is free and fair. He underscored that the consolidation of democracy in Iraq will depend on the willingness of Iraq’s political leaders to collective ensure a transparent, peaceful election.<br/>