57 MB candidates barred from registering in elections

 The first day of registering for nomination as candidates in the upcoming parliamentary polls has proved to be eventful. Although 75 candidates were successful in submitting applications at least 57 other Muslim Brotherhood candidates were rebuffed by the government.

According to the group the registration process, is heavily bureaucratic and involves much paperwork.

The candidates who were unsuccessful in registering have until Sunday before Egypt’s Higher Electoral Commission releases the final list of candidates to remedy their problems.
Opposition groups are skeptical asserting that the Egyptian authorities will do whatever they can to minimize challenge to the ruling National Democratic Party. Observers both at home and abroad have maintained that the government is responsible for promoting a pre-election crackdown on political opposition. In fact during the last few weeks authorities have arrested more than 361 people associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in an attempt to intimidate the group.

In the first day of submitting registrations judges have heard approximately 40 election-related cases that have been brought before the courts in Cairo. The appeals, filed mostly by MB candidates accuse the government of unfairly impeding their attempts to register.