Women queue at a polling station to vote in the second and final round of a referendum on Egypt's 2012 constitution, in Giza, south of Cairo, December 22, 2012 (Photo: Reuters)
A computerised database will be used to curb vote-duplication in the upcoming constitution referendum, the high electoral committee has said.
The measure comes after the political rights law was amended earlier this week to allow citizens to vote at polling stations not affiliated to their registered addresses.
In parliamentary polls in 2011, as well as the presidential election and constitution referendum in 2012 voters had to vote at specific polling stations linked to the address mentioned on their national identity card or passport.
The move is expected to increase turnout at the 14-15 January referendum, but has raised fears that some voters might cast more than one ballot.
Special polling stations will be designated for citizens voting away from their registered addresses.
A "closed information system network" connecting these polling stations will be set up to prevent any ballot repetition, the committee said on Thursday in a statement reported by state news agency MENA.
Violators will be subject to jail terms under the political rights law, the statement added.
A large percentage of voters live far from their registered addresses, which prevented many from taking part in previous polls.
The forthcoming vote will be the first landmark in a transition roadmap drawn up after the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July amid massive protests against his rule.
Parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled to follow by mid-2014.
Short link: