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Sunday 20 May 2012 - 05:30

Egyptians voice fears over possible voting irregularities

Story Code : 163581
Egyptians voice fears over possible voting irregularities
The HPEC has been accused by many revolutionist presidential candidates of favoring candidates belonging to the ousted regime of Hosni Mubarak, after having disqualified many candidates including the Muslim Brotherhood's top choice, Khairat Al-Shater. This has increased fears that Egypt might not witness a free vote.

The announcement by the HPEC, only came in response to a complaint, by MP Essam Soltan, a member of the Islamic wasat, or middle party, a break-away faction of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose freedom and justice party dominates parliament.

Many observers are worried about the elections in Egypt, especially after the supreme constitutional court rejected amendments to the presidential election laws proposed by parliament, that would have laid the ground for a freer vote.

The atmosphere is already marred by forged opinion polls that back the remnants of the Mubarak regime, Ahmad Shafiq and Amr Moussa, in what is seen as manipulation attempts from the part of state owned press institutions and the government owned research centers to influence public opinion.

The HPEC, which also refused to apply to a parliament approved political disenfranchisement law, that would have barred the man perceived as the undeclared favorite of the military council, Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, is allowing four international NGOs to monitor the voting process.

The electoral commission has also invited election monitors from some European and Asian states, but observers say this has not quelled the fears in Egypt.
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