Court OKs monitoring of vote via television (AP)

Court OKs monitoring of vote via television 
– Independent poll monitors will be able to watch ballot counting by closed-circuit television cameras in all future Egyptian elections, a court ruled Saturday.
Election monitors have complained of difficulty gaining access to polling and counting stations during Egypt’s violence- marred parliamentary elections, which began Nov. 9 and will end with a third-round runoff Dec. 7.

Monitoring groups charge that police beat opposition supporters and blocked polling places after the first-round runoff, which saw a surprisingly strong showing by Egypt’s banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Many monitors were refused entry to counting stations and barred from polling places in violation of court orders.

The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession, an association of judges and lawyers, sued for installation of the cameras.