Ghanbar Naderi
Press TV, Tehran The decision by the Guardian Council to bar many Reformist and Principalist candidates from the parliamentary elections was not intended to give boost to any political group or faction and everything was to do with the fact that they were rejected on multiple grounds, including alleged corruption, embezzlement, and suchlike.  That’s according to the council’s spokesman.

Speaking to Press TV, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei said among the 16,000 people who applied to stand in the elections, about 9,000 were disqualified as per the election law.

Campaigning is now well underway across the nation the eleventh parliamentary elections due to be held on Friday.

More than 7,000 candidates are competing to enter the parliament.

A winning candidate must have at least 20 percent of the vote cast in their constituency in order to become lawmaker for a four-year term.

In all 10 parliamentary elections since 1980, the Guardian Council has rejected anywhere from 15 to 50 percent of candidates who registered to run, while this year’s purge is probably the biggest since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Experts say the results might set the context for the presidential elections next year.

Candidates must conclude their campaigns at 8 AM local time on February 20, precisely 24 hours before voting begins