Polls open for Egypt's last day of election re-runs

Ahram Online , Monday 7 Dec 2015

parliamentary
File Photo: An Egyptian woman casts her vote at a polling station of the runoff to the second phase of the parliamentary election in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (AP)

Polls opened Monday for the second and last day of election re-runs in four constituencies for 13 seats after the initial results were ruled void in the first phase of the elections in October.

Candidates running on an individual basis are competing again for the 13 seats after some candidates in the constituencies were found to be ineligible to run.

The four constituencies are in Alexandria (four seats in First Raml), Beheira (four seats in Damanhour), and Beni Suef (Beni Suef with three seats and El-Wasty with two seats).

In Damanhour, Alexandria, and Beni Suef constituencies, candidates were listed on the ballot despite the court rejecting their candidacy applications.

In El-Wasty, a candidate’s name was missing from the ballot, although a court decision had been issued to include him.

Run-offs will take place Tuesday and Wednesday for Egyptians abroad, and Wednesday and Thursday for Egyptian residents.

A total of 555 parliamentary seats have been secured until now, including  239 party-affiliated candidates, and 316 independents.

A number of 28 members of parliament are yet to be appointed by the president. The total number of members will be 596.

The first session of parliament is due to convene before the end of the year.

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