Shura Council run-off begins

The run-off of the first phase of the Shura Council elections will start today, Tuesday, in 13 Egyptian governorates including Cairo, Alexandria, Monufia, Qena, North and South Sinai, and Asiut.Elections for the first phase will take place in Monufia and Qena districts on Tuesday as well, as they were previously postponed on account of judicial orders, which required the inclusion of the Egypt National Party parliamentary list in Monufia, and Freedom Party in Qena, previously excluded from the two districts' lists.The head of the High Elections Commission Abdel Moez Ibrahim announced in a press conference that the turnout rate for the Shura Council elections on individual seats reached 15.1 percent, whereas that of the parliamentary lists was 15.43 percent.The High Elections Commission confirmed that all arrangements for the run-off are due, as the judges received the empty ballots 24 hours in advance.The costs of the Shura Council elections have reached one billion EGP, 500 million for each phase.