Egypt presidential election committee receives nine complaints

Higher Presidential election committee received on Tuesday nine appeals from candidates who were declared disqualified for the upcoming presidential elections.

The complaints were forwarded by Adel Wali of the Peoples Democratic Party: three candidates of Liberal Party, Ali Ayad, Mohamed Farid Zakariya and Talaat El Sadat, and two of the Labour Party Ashraf Abdullah and El Husseini Rihan.

On Monday, Helmi Salem and Hussein Al Mataani of the Liberal Party presented the committee with their complaints. The election committee on Sunday disqualified 20 from a list of 30 prospective candidates.

The reasons involved disputes among candidates on the leadership of a party, and belonging to a party the activities of which had been put on the ice, among other reasons.

The committee will announce on Thursday its legal vision on the forwarded complaints. The eligible candidates are expected to begin campaigning on August 17.

Earlier in the day, Sadat, who appealed the decision disqualifying him from the September 7 presidential race, said he will support Al Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour and direct all the votes he was to receive to Nour in case his appeal is rejected.

The committee asserted it would not allow the publishing of polls after August 30. The committee is due to lay down regulations for controlling the state owned media during the presidential campaign which will start Wednesday next.

Minister of Information Anas al-Fiqy said a neutral follow up committee including representatives of all presidential candidates would be appointed for following media performance during the presidential election campaign.

Meantime, the politbureau of Al Tagammu Party decided not to take part in voting during the upcoming presidential elections, a move which was considered by other parties as non-binding to them.