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Middle East and North Africa

Vote count in constitutional referendum kicks off in Egypt

The referendum’s final results are to be announced on Monday after reports from all the provinces are summed up

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

CAIRO, December 23 (Itar-Tass) - Vote count in the national referendum on the country’s Constitution has started in Egypt. Most polling stations closed at 23:00 local time (00:01 Moscow time) on Saturday. However, voting is still under way in some provinces.

The referendum’s final results are to be announced on Monday after reports from all the provinces are summed up.

The situation during the vote was generally calm, except for some incidents, including those that involved the use of arms. One person was killed in a quarrel that erupted at a polling station in Qena province.

Like in the first round held on December 15, numerous election breaches were registered on Saturday, December 22. The main violation was the absence of judges authorized to monitor the voting. Many polling stations opened after hours of delay because judges were either absent or late. Besides, propaganda in favor of the Constitution was openly waged at some polling stations. Ballot papers of those who voted against the new draft were found in waste paper baskets at some polling stations.

Twenty villages in Minufiyah province that voted against President Mohammed Morsi at the recent presidential elections had been left without electricity by Saturday evening. As a result, the army interrupted the voting and closed over 40 polling stations.

The first reports from the polling stations show that the Islamists-proposed draft Constitution stand a good chance to be approved by the people. Fifty-seven percent of voters supported the Constitution in the first round of vote held on December 15 compared to 43% who voted against the fundamental law.

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