A SENIOR member of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) urged Egyptians yesterday to turn out in force for the forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections and practise their political rights. Safwat el-Sheirf, the NDP secretary General and chairman of the Shura Council , called on people to ensure a high turnout in mid-term polls for the upper house of the Egyptian Parliament on June 1. "Egyptian voters are urged to go to the ballot boxes in the forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections this year and in 2011 respectively," Sherif told 48 Hour News Show, which was broadcast by el-Mehwar Channel Friday night. As the elections draw near, el-Sherif has mounted a media campaign to urge a high turnout, which would show the popularity of NDP in both houses of the Egyptian Parliament. However, el-Sherif refrained from endorsing any NDP members competing for 88 seats on the 264-member Council, but called on people to vote for candidates, who would serve their interests. "People should vote for those who will serve Egypt and the Egyptians," el Sherif said. The mid-term Shura elections will be staged in 67 districts to elect 88 deputies from all governorates. During the programme, El-Sheirf has given full details about the campaigning, funding and monitoring of the vote, expected to take place on Tuesday. He said that an elections commission of judges would oversee the entire process, from naming the date the candidates present their nominations, giving a final list of candidates, supervising the candidates' bank accounts, holding campaign budgets and donations, and monitoring the casting of ballots, counting the votes and announcing the results. “The Government has decided that the financial ceiling imposed on campaigning be raised from LE100,000 to LE200,000,” el-Sherif said, adding that an ad hoc committee will be tasked with guaranteeing that candidates abide by the funding rules. He told the TV programme, presented by Hala el-Semiri, that general judicial committees would be formed to take charge of monitoring the polls. "These committees will be headed by chairmen of First Instance Courts in all governorates," said el-Sherif. In addition, the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will be allowed to take part in monitoring all stages of the Shura elections, including voting in polling stations and vote-counting in main polling committees. He praised the NDP's vision during the next stage of Egypt's political life and cited their political and economic achievements in the past three years. Most opposition parties announced that they will run in the Shura elections. More than 60 candidates have been fielded by as many as 13 parties. El-Sherif said that NDP candidates have abided by the poll code, which bans the use of religious slogans or symbols during campaigning. In the meantime, el-Sherif said that the NDP wanted President Hosni Mubarak to run in next year's presidential elections. He said that the party is filled with hope that Mubarak will be a candidate for the coming presidential elections now that the Egyptians regard him as a leader of their nation and everyone is behind him.
