Turnout low in Egypt run-off vote

2011-12-06 12:40

Cairo - Turnout was low on Tuesday in the run-off vote of Egypt's first democratic parliamentary election since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, amid reported violations and counting errors.

In the second day of the staggered run-off for the first round, polling stations were opened in nine of Egypt's 27 provinces.

The country's High Election Commission said late on Monday that polls had been cancelled in one Cairo ward after the Supreme Administrative Court decided there had been major electoral violations.

Several candidates have complained that 15 ballot boxes went missing and 75 were damaged during last week's voting in al-Sahel district in the capital.

Also on Monday, ballots were stolen from a car belonging to a judge tasked with observing the elections in another district in Cairo.

Several clashes were also reported in Cairo and the province of Fayyoum between supporters of rival Islamist candidates.

The elections commission has revised its estimation of turnout to 52%, down from a previous 62%, blaming counting mistakes.

There are 104 candidates contesting the run-off for the remaining 52 seats. Egyptians are to choose between the two highest-scoring candidates from the first round for each seat.

Two-thirds of parliament's 498 seats are to go to party lists, while the remaining third are earmarked for individual candidates.

Polling stations were to close by 19:00 (17:00 GMT).

- SAPA