Voting begins among Iraqi security forces, prisons, hospitals ahead of national poll

BAGHDAD, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Iraq began a special voting on Thursday as security forces, hospital patients and prisoners went to polling stations to cast their ballots for the parliamentary election that takes place on Sunday.

The voting began in the early morning on Thursday among soldiers, police, doctors, patients, hospital staff and prisoners.

According to electoral organizers, 19 million Iraqis, including 1.4 million living abroad in 16 countries, are eligible to vote for the 325-seat Iraq's Council of Representatives with some 6,300 candidates.

The election is regarded as crucial 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.