Elections Committee to receive Media Requests to cover Polls

The Egyptian High Elections Commission (HEC) has announced that from Saturday it will accept applications from media outlets and civil society organisations for permits to cover the upcoming parliamentary polls.

The commission said on Thursday that it will receive requests until 20 August. The outlets and organisations granted permits will be registered from 21 to 25 August, and the permits will be handed out from 26 to 30 August.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Thursday that the long-awaited parliamentary elections will be held before the end of the year.

On 9 July, El-Sisi ratified amendments to a number of electoral laws, paving the way for setting a date for the polls.

The elections were set to be held in March, but the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the law regulating electoral districts was unconstitutional.

Egypt has been without a parliament since June 2012, when a court dissolved the lower chamber after ruling it was not constitutionally elected.

The president holds legislative powers until the election of a new parliament.

Source: Ahram Online