CAIRO: The Supreme Electoral Council released a statement assuring its respect for judicial verdicts, adhering to principles of implementing all judicial verdicts concerning the electoral process. The statement mentioned three judicial verdicts issued late on Monday, December 12 concerning adding parties to ballots in Beheira, Sohag and Menoufia constituencies. The verdicts were issued after the ballots were printed and distributed across governorates, which mean reprinting them with the added parties could delay the voting process to December 21 and 22. Delaying the voting process would mean being able to finish needed preparations and coordination with the concerned bodies. SEC head Abdel Moez Ibrahim issued instructions to head of primary courts across the nine governorates, regarding the second round of parliamentary elections. The instructions included the necessity for polling stations to open at 8am with no delays, in addition to the availability of women employees at each polling station to check the identity of women wearing burqas. The instructions clearly stated the reserve consultant must be available during the voting process and until the end of the ballot counting process, which should be under the supervision of the members of the ballot counting committee only. They also stated the need for intensive control at the doors leading to the ballot counting stations. The SEC also added the activation of decision no.67 of 2011, which indicates filing reports against any violations to the electoral silence period, to the instructions.
