CAIRO: Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) passed a decree amending the laws governing elections for the People's Assembly and Shura Council. The decree states the parliamentary elections will be held on Nov. 28, and the first Peoples' Assembly will hold sessions on March 17, 2012. According to the decree, law No. 38 of 1972 has been amended. The first paragraph of Article I was replaced, while first, second, third, and fifth paragraphs were amended. Article 1, First Paragraph: The Peoples' Assembly shall consist of 498 members whom shall be chosen by a public direct secret ballot. Half of the members shall be workers and farmers at least. Article 2, "First, Second, Third, and Fifth Paragraphs:" First paragraph: One-third of the Peoples' Assembly members shall be elected by a closed party-list, proportional representation system (PR), while the other third shall be elected by individual system. The number of every Egyptian governorate's PR candidates shall equal the number of two-thirds of the parliamentary seats, and the number of one-third of the representatives shall equal the seats of the individual [candidates]. Second paragraph: Arab Republic of Egypt shall be divided into 46 constituencies for only the PR list election. Third paragraph: Egypt shall be divided into 83 constituencies for elections of the individual [candidates] system and every constituency shall have two candidates: one representing the workers and the second representing the farmers. The fifth paragraph: Taking into consideration article No.16 of the relevant law, the number of candidates shall equal the number of seats in every constituency, as half of the number shall be for workers and the second half shall be for the farmers. Without exception, every list shall have one woman candidate. Article 9, last paragraph: Every party running for election by PR list shall practice the right mentioned in the previous two paragraphs. Article 2: A new article shall be added to the aforementioned law, No. 38, 1972. The new article provides that in the case that the election results show the proportion of the workers and farmers are not fulfilled in any constituency, it shall be fulfilled from the list that has the minimum electoral coefficient in the same order of the list hereof. The electoral coefficient is the sum of voters divided by the number of candidates. Article 3: Regarding Shura Council Law No. 120, 1990, provisions of the first paragraph of article No. 1 shall be substituted. The paragraph 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the second article shall be amended. Article 1 "first paragraph": The Shura Council shall consist 270 members. Article 2, "paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5." First paragraph: One-third of the elected Shura Council members shall be chosen by system of the closed party-list system, while second third shall be elected by the individuals system. [Editor's Note: The last third is appointed by the President.] Second paragraph: The Arab Republic of Egypt shall be divided into 30 constituencies for PR lists system. Third paragraph: Egypt shall be divided into 30 constituencies for the individual [candidate] system. Every constituency shall have two candidates: one representing the workers and the second representing the farmers. Fifth paragraph: Taking into consideration article No.16 of the relevant law, the number of candidates shall equal the number of seats in every constituency, as half of the number shall be for workers and the second half shall be for the farmers. Without exception, every list shall have one woman candidate. Article 9, last paragraph: Every party running for election by PR list shall practice the right mentioned in the previous two paragraphs. In the case that the election results show the proportion of the workers and farmers are not completed in any constituency, it shall be completed from the list that has the minimum electoral coefficient and in the same order of the list hereof. The electoral coefficient is the sum of voters divided by the number of candidates. Article 4: New article shall be added to the Law No. 120, 1980 that was mentioned. This new article is No. 12. Article 12: The new article provides that in the case that the election results show the proportion of the workers and farmers are not completed in any constituency, it shall be completed from the list that has the minimum electoral coefficient in the same order of the list hereof. The electoral coefficient is the sum of voters divided by the number of candidates. Article 5: Any individual candidate running for elections for The Peoples' Assembly or for the Shura Council shall not belong to any political party. To keep his membership in the Peoples' Assembly or of Shura Council, the individual candidate shall not belong to any political party. If the individual candidate joins any political party, his membership shall be withdrawn by voting of the majority of the two-thirds of the Council. Article 6: This decree shall be published in the state-run newspaper; the decree shall have the same power of the law and shall come into force in the following day of its publishing.
