Egypt set to hold presidential election in May

Egypt’s election commission said on Wednesday that the first round would be held over two days over two days on 23 and 24 May.

The head of the electoral commission has said that a run-off would take place on 16 June and 17 June.

“The possible runoff election is scheduled for June 16-17,” head of Egypt’s election commission Farouk Sultan told reporters

He noted that final results would be announced on June 21.

A dozen of presidential hopefuls have already launched bids for the country’s top post.

Sultan added that there would be no international monitoring of the presidential election.

The influential Muslim Brotherhood, which controls nearly half of the seats in parliament, has said it will not nominate one of its members.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which has been ruling Egypt since former President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February 2011, has pledged to hand over power to an elected president by July.

Egyptians have in recent weeks staged mass demonstrations against the military rulers.

Protesters have been calling on the SCAF to hand over power to a civilian authority, accusing it of moving against the country's revolution by using violence against civilians.