Egypt presidential poll results postponed till next week

By PTI

| Published: Thursday, June 21, 2012, 16:06 [IST]

Cairo, Jun 21: The political scene in Egypt continues to bubble as the announcement of the results of the presidential elections were postponed till early next week, with the authorities saying it needed more time to examine the complaints after both candidates declared victory.

The Supreme Presidential Elections Commission (SPEC) said it needs "more time" to examine appeals filed by presidential contenders- Muhammad Mursi and the former Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq.

"Egypt's presidential election commission, headed by Judge Farouq Sultan... has decided to delay the announcement of the presidential election runoff," the official MENA news agency said.

The results was originally scheduled to be announced tomorrow, but will now be deferred with the election commission saying it had roughly 400 appeals filed by both presidential campaigns before it.

The election commission said it had also heard the lawyers of both the candidates -- Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi and last Mubarak-era PM Ahmed Shafiq.

The delay adds to the already prevailing confusion and political uncertainty in the country, with growing apprehensions about the military's expanding role and control over governance. (MORE) PTI RAG DBR 06210331 NNNN

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Meanwhile, fearing the results might not be in their favour, the Muslim Brotherhood supported by the revolutionaries took to Tahrir square for the second night in a row.

The outfit voiced their demands, staged sit-ins and said they intend to remain there till their demands of rejecting the supplemental constituent declaration and stripping the military and intelligence police of their right to arrest were fufilled.

Meanwhile, an official television station said that former ousted president Mubarak was back in a coma after having been conscious for a little while and that his condition was "very critical".

The station also added it had no access to doctors to cover his condition and that a statement from doctors or the military council is expected.

The 84-year-old former president, who is serving a life sentence, was transferred to Maadi Hospital on Tuesday night after he suffered a brain stroke, state-run new agency MENA reported.

PTI