The Shura Council (the Upper House of Egyptian Parliament) Wednesday concluded its longest-ever parliamentary sitting ahead of a mid-term election of 88 members scheduled for June 1. "The Shura Council's discussions during this sitting were very important and helped forge many bills that are set to make history for it," the Shura Council Chairman Safwat el-Sherif said Wednesday. He added this was the longest sitting in the house's history. It concluded its sessions only eleven days before the election. "The council will re-convene on June 24 with its new elected MPs," el-Sherif said. A government election panel approved a total of 490 candidates from the ruling National Democratic Party and opposition groups to run in the June 1 vote, which will renew 88 seats in the 264-member council. President Hosni Mubarak will appoint 44 others.
