In continuation to the march of democracy and affirming the State of Law, confirming the effective participation of the people of Egypt in building the future of the nation on pillars of freedom, democracy and equality, and in response to President Mubarak’s Decree No. 78 for the year 2007 to call on voters for a referendum on amendment of the Constitution and in commitment to provisions of the law of exercising the political rights No. 73 for the year 1956, the High Elections Commission (HEC) held its first meeting, this evening, under the chairmanship of Counselor Mamdouh Marei Minister of Justice.

The HEC, in its first meeting, discussed the regulations and standards taken to guarantee the holding of the referendum in atmosphere of freedom and democracy to ensure that the results would show the true will of people of Egypt as their word is the criterion in defining the future of our nation.

The HEC concluded the following:

First: Reviewing the regulatory procedures of the voting process and guaranteeing its order and bases of defining headquarters of balloting stations and satisfied with its distribution thus facilitating matters for citizens to cast their votes.

Second: Appointing heads of General Committees from members of different judicial bodies taking into account the necessity of providing the sufficient number of judges and member of the judicial bodies to follow up the voting process.

Third: Guaranteeing the judicial supervision over the referendum (voting process) through the judges who will follow up work of sub-committees all over Egypt.

Fourth: The HEC calls on all legally registered Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to send their representatives to different counting and polling stations to monitor the proceedings. The HEC General Secretariat was mandated to receive the requirements and grant the necessary permits for their access to headquarters of the committees.

Fifth: The Commission is keen to call on all media outlets and newspapers to keep an eye on the referendum in any place by their correspondents provided that their names are registered in the HEC General Secretariat.

Sixth: The Commission decided to remain in continuous session till declaration of the referendum results with the aim of following up the steps of the referendum preparation, checking the implementation of the guarantees set by the Commission and removing any impediment may hinder the referendum process.

Issued on 22/3/2007
Chairman of the High Elections Commission
Counselor Mamdouh Marei Minister of Justice