Egypt orders probe into alleged vote irregularities amid protests

Egypt has ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities during the first set of a constitutional referendum, as opposition rallied against the contentious draft constitution which they say is too Islamist and ignore minorities’ rights.

The Egyptian Justice Ministry on Tuesday assigned judges to investigate Saturday’s voting process upon the request of the Higher Commission for Elections, which demanded a probe into “the electoral crimes that took place during the referendum, “according to Xinhua.

Saturday’s voting in 10 of Egypt’s 27 provinces, including Cairo and Alexandria, has garnered 56.5 percent “yes” votes to the proposed charters backed by President Mohammed Morsi.

Thousands of protesters marched Tuesday to the presidential palace and Cairo’s downtown Tahrir Square to mount pressure on Morsi over the passage of the draft constitution. But the scale was not as large as previous demonstrations.

The National Salvation Front opposition coalition said that the charter serves only Morsi and his supporters, and tramples on the rights of minorities.

After the release of the initial results, the coalition has claimed widespread irregularities and demanded a revote.

“The violations include duplication of voting cards, vote buying, deliberate delay of opening polling stations and attempts to affect the will of voters before casting their votes,” Amr Hamzawy, a leading member of the National Salvation Front, told Xinhua.

Proponents of the basic law denied the fraud claims, saying they are groundless and politically motivated.

The balloting was based on the voters’ national identity number that was impossible to be duplicated and was held under full judicial supervision, Mahmoud Abou Shoosha, a member of Egypt’s Supreme Election Commission, told a press conference Tuesday.

“The president’s powers and authorities will be limited to those in the constitution, which are much less than his powers today,” he said.

Opposition boycotted the draft constitution out of fears that some of its clauses may steer the country toward a religious state and hamper civil rights.

M.D