The People’s Assembly Suggestions and Complaints Committee on Tuesday approved a bill submitted by independent MP Mostafa Bakry to amend Article 20 of Law 174/2005 which organizes presidential elections.
The amendment allows presidential candidates to begin their presidential campaigns when registration for the race begins and stipulates that campaigns be suspended two days before the poll starts.
Presidential nominees in the run-offs will be permitted to carry on with their campaigns the day following the announcement of the vote until midday of the day preceding the run-off vote.
Election publicity is prohibited outside these timelines.
The government approved the amendment and Omar al-Sherif, assistant justice minister for legislative affairs, said there was no reason why the amendments would not be introduced. However, he said the suggested amendments should be submitted to the Supreme Constitutional Court.
Bakry added that several reports were filed against presidential candidates accusing them of violating the period of electoral silence, an offense for which the penalty reaches imprisonment. He said if the rules remain as they are, presidential candidates will eventually be summoned by the attorney general for breaching electoral laws.
He said the limited time given for presidential campaigns has sparked the wrath of the public since presidential candidates will not have sufficient time to carry out their campaigns.
