HOLY NAJAF, Iraq: Al-Marjay’ Al-Aala Sayyed Ali Al-Husseini As-Sistani has urged Iraqis to adopt a draft constitution in a nationwide referendum scheduled on October 15 this year, offering crucial support for a document that would boost the fledgling Iraqi government's legitimacy.

If two-thirds of the voters in any three of Iraq's 18 provinces reject the constitution, a new government must be formed and the process of writing the document would start again.

Ayatullah As-Sistani meeting with aides Thursday in the holy city of Najaf urged Iraqi people to vote "yes" on the new basic law, his office told Reuters.
 
Meanwhile, Iraqi television channels aired his call to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum.
 
Al-Marjay’ Sheikh Ishaq Al-Fayyadh, one of four grand marajay’ of holy Najaf namely Ayatullah Ali As-Sistani, Ayatullah Sheikh Bashir An-Najafi and Ayatullah Said Al-Hakim, also issued a verdict in which he called on all Iraqi stratums to fully participate in the referendum on the draft constitution with “yes” for guarantee of their rights, their freedom and future of their generations, and also to thwart terrorism and terrorists and end of occupation.