Egyptian women fill out their ballot at a polling station during the run-off in the second phase of Egypt's parliamentary elections in Heliopolis, Cairo, on December 2, 2015 (Photo: Bassam Alzogby)
Several Egyptian NGOs have reported minor electoral violations during the second and final run-off round of the country's parliamentary elections, which is taking place this week.
The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights Observers reported several incidents of vote-buying, electoral propaganda and directing voters in Sharqiya, Cairo, Daqahliya, Damietta, Gharbiya and Kafr El-Sheikh governorates during the run-off vote, which began on Tuesday and will conclude on Wednesday.
Observers from the Maat For Peace, Development and Human Rights organisation also reported some violations on the first day of the run-offs, including delays in opening polling stations and voter bribery.
Maat observers reported that there were incidents of vote-buying with money and food supplies in some constituencies in Cairo, Sharqiya and Qalioubiya.
The NGO also released a video showing representatives of the campaign of one candidate distributing money to voters at a polling station in Cairo. The video was aired on several local talk shows on Tuesday evening.
In one of the polling stations in Menoufiya governorate, Maat observers reported that one man who died in 2008 had been included on the current voters' registry.
In media statements on Tuesday, the spokesman for the High Elections Committee, Omar Marwan, said that it was difficult to impose penalties against those using vote-buying unless an official complaint had been made to the committee.
In comments on Wednesday Marwan asked anyone with video proof of a voting violation to hand the video over to the committee.
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