CAIRO - The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has decided to amend the electoral laws to allow members of any party to run for individual seats, bowing to pressures from political parties. The SCAF also said in a statement after a meeting yesterday between Sami Annan, the SCAF second-in-command, and political party representatives, that it will review proposals to scrap the Emergency Law and adopt a new bill to prevent old regime figures from running in the parliamentary polls due late next month. “A decision has been issued to amend Article 5 of the Electoral Law to allow members of parties to run for individual seats,” read the statement. The SCAF, meanwhile, has asked for some time to review scrapping the Emergency Law and stopping the referral of civilians to military courts. A third proposal to adopt the 1952 Treason Bill, to prevent figures from Hosni Mubarak's dissolved National Democratic Party from having a role in political life in the coming five or ten years will also be reviewed, according to the statement. "The SCAF needs a chance to carefully examine these crucial proposals, despite its initial approval for party members to run for individual seats," an official quoted Sami Annan as telling political party representatives in a meeting yesterday. Annan, the Army's Chief of Staff, had invited 17 parties to discuss proposals for amending the Electoral Law, while another 30 or so parties were angry at not having been invited. The meeting came a day after thousands flocked to Tahrir Square to demand an end to the military trials of civilians, cleansing institutions of former regime remnants, amendments to the recently issued Electoral Law and social justice. Trouble broke out yesterday when protesters who said they would stay in the Square until their demands were met were removed by security forces and troops. Several arrests were made after some protesters refused to move and began hurling stones at the security forces. Most groups involved in Friday's rally had said they would not take part in the sit-in. Riot police yesterday cleared Cairo's Tahrir Square of protesters who had wanted to stage a sit-in following a demonstration demanding an end to emergency laws and a speedy transfer of power to civilians from military rulers. Around 100 protesters had stayed in the Square after the demonstration held on Friday. Riot police with shields and batons arrested 10 people when protesters threw stones at them, the State news agency MENA said, but activists in the Square reported that the stone throwers were not part of their group. Soldiers and security forces stayed away from the Square on Friday but the ruling military council had warned demonstrators against attacking public facilities. Activists vowed to return to Tahrir Square to keep up the pressure on the military council, should their demands not be met.
