Egyptian commission receives objection to candidates

The head of the Higher Presidential Election Commission, Counselor Farouk Sultan, announced that the Commission had received objections to certain presidential candidates on Wednesday. The Commission’s Secretary General Hatem Bagato said: “The Commission will rule on the objections and check the nomination conditions and notify those who did not satisfy those conditions through their applications.” He added that objections should be launched after 48 hours and the response to any objection would be given within the following 24 hours. Bagato added that the final list of candidates and the date on which the electoral campaigns will commence,  would be published  in two official and widely-circulated national daily newspapers, 25 days prior to the first day of elections, namely April 26, 2012. On another note, the political isolation law has raised a great deal of controversy.  The People’s Assembly MPs expressed their enthusiasm for it once Omar Suleiman, former vice president, entered the presidential race, which they did not voice in previous sessions despite the approval of other political parties who called for its implementation. Counselor Sayed Hashem, a cessation lawyer, said that the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) is the one responsible for granting the law once it has been approved by the People’s Assembly. "Once it is granted",  he said "it should be published and implemented on the same date and all related authorities should apply the law."