Some 40 million Egyptian voters are called to cast their ballots on Monday in the first legislative elections since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak in February.

 

Voters will be asked to elect 498 members of the People's Assembly -- the lower house of parliament -- while 10 members are appointed by the country's head of state, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.

  

Hosni Mubarak (file picture)

One third of the members will be elected on the basis of individual candidacy, while two thirds will be using a closed proportional list system.

 

Egypt's 27 provinces will be divided into three rounds for the voting, with a run-off one week after each round.

 

Polling will kick off on November 28 in Cairo, Alexandria, Fayum, Luxor, Port Said, Damietta, Kafr el-Sheikh and the Red Sea province. A run-off is scheduled for December 5.

 

The second stage will see voters come out on December 14 in Giza, Beni Sueif, Menufia, Sharqiya, Beheira, Suez, Ismailiya, Sohag and Aswan, with a run-off scheduled for December 21.

 

The third and final round will take place on January 3 in Minya, Qaliubiya, Gharbia, Daqahliya, North Sinai, South Sinai, New Valley, Matrouh and Qena. The last run-off will be held on January 10.

 

The final results of the parliamentary elections are expected on January 13.

 

Voters will be called to the ballot boxes again on January 29 for the elections of the Shura Council, the upper house of parliament, which has a mainly consultative role.

 

The powerful Muslim Brotherhood, banned under Mubarak, will field candidates through its Freedom and Justice Party.

 

The Islamist movement is the most organised political group in the country and is expected to emerge with a strong parliamentary bloc.

 

The "Al Thawra Mustamirra" (The Revolution Continues) coalition, founded in October after the January 25 uprising, brings together a group of leftist parties.

 

The "Kotla Masreya" (Egyptian Bloc) represents the largest liberal coalition, grouping around 15 parties including the Free Egyptians Party founded by Coptic telecoms tycoon Naguib Sawiris.

 

Earlier this month, a high court ruling allowed members of Mubarak's now-dissolved National Democratic Party to run for public office, overturning a lower court decision.

 

It is unclear how long the parliamentary term will be, which is to be decided by the new constitution to be drafted after elections.

 

- AFP/ck