Iraq begins official voting for pivotal election amid blasts

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki casts his ballot at a polling station in Baghdad, capital of Iraq, on March 7, 2010. Iraq began its official voting for the country's crucial parliamentary election in the early morning on Sunday. This is the second national poll since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime from U.S.-led invasion in 2003. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)

BAGHDAD, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iraq began its official voting for the country's crucial parliamentary election in the early morning on Sunday. This is the second national poll since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime from U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

More than 18 million voters are expected to go to the polls across the country. There are 8,920 centers and 50,000 stations for the voting.

Iraqi President Talal Talabani became the country's first to vote on Sunday at a polling center in Sulaimaniyah.

One has been killed and four injured after two buildings were flattened by bombings in Baghdad on Sunday, according to the Interior Ministry.

Multiple mortar rounds and bombs also struck near polling centers in the capital, but caused no casualties so far.

Iraqis will elect the 325-seat Council of Representatives out of around 6,300 candidates. Around one million security members have been mobilized across the country for the election.

On March 4, an early voting among security forces, prisoners and hospital staff was held. And the balloting abroad among 1.4 million Iraqis continued since March 5.

The election is regarded as a test for the country's national reconciliation and political process as it has been struggling to improve security situation in the past few years and preparing itself for a planned full withdrawal of U.S. troops at the end of 2011.