CAIRO - Security departments nationwide Saturday end a process to register candidates planning to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections as the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) is expected to submit its list of hopefuls by noon. The Higher Electoral Commission announced that 3,640 candidates registered to run for the polls on November 28 by Friday night as the registration process will end as scheduled at 5:00CLT (3:00GMT). "All complaints forwarded to the commission were dealt with positively as the security departments eased the process, which has been carried out calmly and smoothly," the commission said in a statement Saturday. It added that the process, to vet the files of the candidates, would take two days before a final list of hopefuls is declared. "The candidates have the chance to file appeals against each other or withdraw their bids for two days," the statement added. Besides the ruling party, three opposition parties and the banned Muslim Brotherhood as well as hundreds of independent candidates are standing in the vote, which will select 508 MPs of the People's Assembly (the Lower House of the Egyptian Parliament). "We will forward our final list of candidates to President (Hosni) Mubarak tomorrow (today) for endorsement," said Safwat el-Sherif, the Secretary General of the ruling party. El-Sherif added that the party decided to wait until the last day due to the "continuous changes of the map of candidates from other parties". "We consider the other parties' selections," el-Sherif said in a press conference. The Muslim Brotherhood, whose candidates run as independents, said in a statement that around 130 candidates affiliated to the group registered for the vote. "The few remaining members, who have yet to register, will do this today," a source with the group said. The ruling party is expected to garner the majority of seats as happened in the Shura Council's elections held earlier this year. In 2005, 170 NDP candidates won seats in the legislature compared with 218 independents, all of whom rejoined the party.
