A prominent military official on Monday pledged to prevent election campaigning outside polling stations.
Ismail Etman, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and head of the military's Morale Affairs Department, told reporters that one of the main jobs of the armed forces is to prevent any kind of campaigning inside and outside polling stations during the elections.
Several violations of the rule on halting campaigning two days ahead of voting were reported in the media during the first phase of elections last week.
While touring a polling station in Heliopolis, Etman added that the security plan for the run-offs is the same as that applied during the first phase of elections a week ago.
Meanwhile, the armed forces dismantled a tent pitched by the Salafi-led Nour Party in front of a polling station in Damietta, and in Cairo's fifth constituency it removed Nour Party representatives distributing leaflets in front of polling stations.
But Nour Party supporters earlier today kicked out supporters of other candidates from three polling stations in Naggareen, in Damietta's second constituency. Eyewitnesses said they expelled supporters of the candidates from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Revolution Continues Coalition.
Rights groups' reports have said illegal campaigning continues to mar the run-offs of the first phase of elections.
The High Elections Commission has acknowledged the existence of those breaches, but said it will not have an impact on the election's integrity or results.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
