Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has agreed to a new condensed timetable that would make presidential elections one day and conclude Shura Council elections by 22 February, according to the SCAF's civilian Advisory Council.
On 25 September, the SCAF issued a constitutional declaration stipulating that Shura Council elections would be held over three stages from 29 January to 11 March and the new council would convene its first session on 24 March.
"We cannot expect an official decree by the SCAF in that respect," Mohamed al-Khouly, the Advisory Council's spokesperson, told Al-Masry Al-Youm regarding the new timetable. The High Judicial Elections Commission would be solely responsible for issuing such a decision, he said.
Khouly said the Advisory Council proposed the idea of holding Shura Council elections over two phases rather than three to shorten the transitional period from a military to civilian government and grant a parliament-appointed constituent assembly more time to draft a new constitution.
Presidential elections will be held after the assembly writes the constitution, Khouly said, adding that a runoff would be held if no candidate achieves a majority of the votes.
Advisory Council Chairman Mansour Hassan told state-run MENA Sunday that presidential elections would not be moved forward from their anticipated June date because there needs to be ample time to write the new constitution.
