Middle East News
Egyptians begin voting in advisory council election
Jan 29, 2012, 7:36 GMT
Cairo - Egyptians began casting their ballots Sunday in the first stage of elections for the advisory Shura Council, reported state television.
More than 2,600 candidates are vying for 90 seats up for grabs in the first-stage vote, held in 13 of Egypt's 27 governorates, according to the report.
Around 25 million Egyptians are eligible voters in the first stage, which will be conducted Sunday and Monday, said election officials. The second and final stage of the vote in the remaining governorates is set for February 14.
The Shura Council is the upper house of Egypt's parliament and has limited powers.
The council is composed of 270 members. Two thirds are directly elected, while the remaining third are appointed by the head of the state.
Several opposition politicians have recently argued that the Shura council should be abolished and that the time set aside for elections to the council would be better used by pulling forward presidential polls, currently set for June. That, they say, would expedite the military rulers' transfer of power to a civilian administration.
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