Clear voter boxes in Egypt

2005-11-01 11:47

Cairo - Egyptians will cast their ballots in transparent boxes in parliamentary elections scheduled for November, the electoral commission decided on Monday.

"Transparent boxes will allow everyone to see what goes inside and this in every polling station and throughout the three-stage parliamentary elections," the official Mena news agency reported.

The three rounds kick off on November 9 and end a month later.

The interior ministry gave its approval for transparent boxes to be used last week.

Egyptians had previously cast their ballots in wooden boxes.

A spokesperson for the National Campaign for Monitoring Elections (NCME) gave the new ballot boxes a lukewarm reception, saying they would not of themselves prevent irregularities.

"It is a positive development but not enough," said the spokesperson, Said Darwish. "Rights groups must be able to monitor the elections but without permission from the National Human Rights Council."

Independent oversight of polls vital

Justice minister Mahmud Abuleil issued an order a week ago allowing local NGOs to monitor the polls but insisted they get permission from the state-sponsored council.

The decision and an array of other conditions prompted rights groups to file suit against the electoral commission and Abuleil.

The Egyptian press reported that prospective monitors must also be impartial and non-partisan and should not be involved in any way in the elections.

Darwish said independent oversight of polling stations not the design of ballot boxes was the key to a fair election and unfortunately rights groups lacked the resources.

"We can't deploy a sufficient number of monitors to oversee the count and insist that a judge be present in every polling station during this phase," he said.

Irregularities

He also complained that candidates other than those affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) did not have access to up-to-date electoral registers ahead of polling day.

Mena quoted Abuleil as saying on Monday that "co-ordinating with the National Human Rights Council doesn't prevent civic groups from applying for authorisation by the commission".

But his latest statement is unlikely to dampen rights group criticism since the commission is closely linked to the state.

Monitors were allowed to monitor the September 7 presidential election but rights groups complained that their representatives were often denied access to polling stations or in some cases beaten up.

They also slammed widespread irregularities in the conduct of the election.

- AFP