Election: Egypt presidential polls on May 26-27

Cairo, March 31: Egypt has set May 26 and 27 for the first round of presidential polls following the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi, the Supreme Presidential Election Commission (SPEC) said Sunday.

Egyptian expatriates will have four days to cast their votes abroad, from May 15 to 18, noting that the door for presidential nomination and registration will be opened from Monday, Xinhua quoted the SPEC as saying.

"Nomination will be from Monday, March 31, until April 20," SPEC Chairman Judge Anwar al-Assi said, adding that presidential campaigns can start May 3. "The result of the first round of the elections will be announced maximum on June 5."

In case of a runoff round, he said, it will be held June 16 and 17 nationwide and from June 6 to 9 for expatriates. The new president will be named after the final result announced no later than June 26.

On Wednesday former army leader Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah al- Sisi announced his intention to run for the president. Sisi's popularity has mounted after he carried out Morsi's ouster last July in response to mass protest. Experts see that Sisi faces no serious competition in the election and is expected to make an easy win.

Besides Sisi, leftist leader Hamdeen Sabahy was the only one to have officially announced intention to run for the president.

IANS