BAGHDAD: An Iraqi committee which barred 500 politicians and parties from running in March elections accused the United Nations on Sunday of interferring in its decisions.

The committee of integrity and accountability "disapproves the request made by UN special envoy Ad Melkert to the independent electoral commission not to exclude names of individuals," it said in a statement.

The committee called on the UN "representative to stop interferring in the affairs of the institutions of Iraq, a sovereign country governed by laws which have been voted by the people."

A UN spokesman in Baghdad declined to confirm or deny whether Melkert had made any such request to the electoral commission.

A diplomatic source told AFP meanwhile that Melkert had met with members of the commission on Saturday but did not reveal the nature of their talks.

The committee of integrity and accountability is tasked with vetting applicants and purging unsuitable contenders vying to contest the March 7 polls.

Among the most prominent to be banned was Saleh al-Mutlak, a secular Sunni lawmaker who heads the National Dialogue Front, as well as Defence Minister Abdel Qader Jassem al-Obeidi.

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission, 500 potential candidates have been barred from running in the polls, including those accused of links with the Baath party of executed dictator Saddam Hussein.

Commission figures show about 6,500 candidates from 86 parties comprising 12 coalitions as well as independents have registered for the election, the second national parliamentary vote since Saddam's ouster.

The decision has been condemned by Sunni politicians who accuse the Shiite-led government of seeking to undermine efforts of national reconciliation.