Cairo hints at election schedule

Sept. 12, 2011

CAIRO, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- The date for nominations for both houses of the Egyptian Parliament will be announced at the end of the month, the government declared Monday.

State-run news agency MENA reports that the ruling military council was expected to announce a date for opening nominations for parliamentary elections by the end of September.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces decided to have separate elections for each house to allow for proper judicial oversight, MENA added. The government expects to have around 9,000 judges supervise the election.

Elections were originally planned for September. Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, one of the leading SCAF authorities in the military council, said the delay was in part to give post-revolution political parties more time to organize.

Post-revolutionary groups complained established parties like the Muslim Brotherhood and the Wafd Party had an unfair advantage in the emerging political landscape.

The Muslim Brotherhood took 20 percent of the seats in 2005 elections by running candidates as independents because they were barred from politics.

Presidential elections and constitutional reform should follow the country's parliamentary vote. Cairo said it wasn't keen on outside election monitors, however.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled 30 days after nomination season opens.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/12/Cairo-hints-at-election-schedule/UPI-95801315836648/.