Nahdit Misr, p.6 (11/4/2007)

Egyptian elections following the Indian model

By: Mahmoud Basiouni

In a new attempt by the Civil society organizations to participate in the debate about the legal amendments that will follow the constitutional amendments, the United Group headed by activist Negad El Borei made a report about the required amendments to be introduced to the political rights law.

The project focused on the possibility of copying the Indian model of the electoral commission and establishing a fund for financing elections. The proposal stated that this model is suitable for the Egyptian conditions.

The project, in which a large number of parliamentarians participated in its preparation, consists of eight chapters divided into 95 articles.  The second chapter dealt with forming the electoral commission and election fund.

The third chapter dealt with the ballot charts and called for considering the national identity number the only basis for registration in the election voting lists.

As for the Indian model, which is imitated by the project, the election higher commission should be formed of a number of councillors. The commission will have the power to punish any candidate who commits any irregularities. The election commission will have its headquarters in Cairo and branches in different governorate.

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