Baghdad - Early voting in provincial elections began Wednesday in Iraq, ahead of the main round of balloting due to begin at the weekend, election officials confirmed.

The special voting day allows Iraqi security forces, detainees and hospital patients to cast ballots in the provincial elections.

The polls will be held in 14 of 18 provinces. A total of 614,998 people are expected to vote in the special election Wednesday, Iraqi election officials told the Voices of Iraq news agency.

Around 800 international observers are monitoring the 75 electoral centres in Baghdad and other provinces during the early voting.

On Saturday, January 31, millions of people are expected to go to the polls, with around 14,000 candidates competing for 440 provincial council seats. (dpa)