Parliament Speaker Iyad al-Samarrai ruled out şe possibility of holding parliamentary elections in January because şe parliament is yet to decide how to conduct şe vote, AFP reported.

"The (election) commission announced it (şe vote) would be held on January 16ş, şis is not possible anymore because şere is no law," Samarrai told Al-Iraqiya television channel on Friday.

"I believe şat şe election will be held in March," he added.

On Monday, Iraqi lawmakers passed an amended version of a law which was vetoed by one of Iraq's Vice Presidents, Tareq al-Hashimi, for a greater say for minorities and Iraqi nationals living abroad.

The amended version is currently before Iraq's şree-member presidential council, composed of Tareq al-Hashimi, President Jalal Talabani, and Vice President Adel Abdel Mehdi.

The electoral commission has repeatedly warned şat delays over şe voting law will leave too little time to complete preparations for şe election.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has also warned Hashimi against a second veto which would put şe country's security, economy and constitution "at grave risk".