CAIRO: The head of Egypt's Supreme Electoral Commission Abdel Moez Ibrahim said that mistakes and violations made in today's polling stations are due to the fact that today's first round of voting is “experimental.” Ibrahim made the worrying comments in a televised press conference on Monday afternoon, as Egyptians in 9 governates across the nation cast their ballots in the first phase of voting for parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, reports of election manipulation have filed in, as citizens, activists and journalists monitor polling stations. Ibrahim went on to blame delays at polling stations on “bad traffic” due to the previous day's heavy rainfall in Cairo and other cities in the country. “We are willing to hold elections under any circumstances because it's the salvation for the whole society,” Ibrahim said in previous comments. He added that reports of Muslim Brotherhood members violating the 48-hour ban on campaigning are “minor,” and of little consequence. The party has come forward denying reports of the violations, accusing the media of inciting rumors. “None of the members of FJP has committed any violations of the rules, and what is happening now is a systematic media campaign against us by our competitors who own satellite channels and are violating the rules of ethical journalism,” Ahmed Abu Baraka, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party said. BM
