Aswat Masriya (London)
1 January 2012
Judge Mohammed Attiya Minister of the People’s Assembly and Shura Council Affairs said that the door to run for presidency would be opened this April and presidential elections will be held following the referendum on the new constitution.
In his remarks to “Al_Ahram” newspapers Attiya revealed that the Constituent Assembly to draft the constitution would be formed in a joint meeting of the People’s Assembly and the Shura Council, after the completion of parliamentary elections.
He added that this assembly would draft the constitution in a month time, then it would be put to a referendum, and the presidential election would follow.
Attiya said that nomination criteria had not been changed, including that a candidate should not be less than forty years of age according to the Constitutional Declaration, and the presidential term would be of four years renewable once only.
The minister said that the Legislative Committee has finished discussing the law of the presidential elections, which regulates the procedures to run for presidency, and will be presented to the Cabinet on Wednesday for approval. Then it would be sent to the Military Council for the issuance of a decree, and this is expected to be ahead of the Shura Council elections.
Attiya added that the most important prerequisites for running for presidency are the approval of thirty members of the People’s Assembly and Shura Council, in addition to thirty thousand people from various governorates. Separate Property Registration Bureaus would be allocated to verify signatures and data of citizens nominating each candidate.
Attiya confirmed that the presidential election process would be well-organized and strict by forming a higher commission to supervise the elections similar to the High Juridical Elections Commission (HJEC). This commission would include the Chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the Chairman of Cairo Court of Appeal and the First Deputy Chairmen of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State.
This commission should organize the voting process through the election commissions in the governorates, and set rules of publicity, funding and disciplinary measures.
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