CAIRO
An Egyptian political activist Vail Guneym on Sunday said that the High Military Council would continue dominance over Egypt despite the elections.
Evaluating the presidential runoff between the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Mohammad Mursi, and former prime minister under former Mubarak regime, Ahmed Shafiq, activist Guneym argued that "looking at the picture, the Military Council would protect its powers and will not return to its ordinary duties after the elections".
Following the dissolution of the Egyptian Parliament, no date was mentioned for parliamentary elections. We need a new elections law. We have entered an election without a constitution that would define the powers of the president and without a parliament. The judiciary is under the control of the Military Council, Guneym noted.
The Egyptian military has been given the authority to arrest civilians. The High Military Council will hold all security files with authorization received from the judiciary, Guneym stressed.
Furthermore, Guneym indicated, the Constitutional Committee made up by the parliament may be dissolved by the court.
The Military Council may form the Constitutional Committee by taking advantage of a president with limited powers and the lack of a parliament, Guneym also said.
Egyptians are voting on Saturday and Sunday in a presidential runoff between the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Mohammad Mursi, and former prime minister under former Mubarak regime, Ahmed Shafiq.
Egyptians will be able to cast their votes between 08.00 and 19.00 hours.
Tight security measures were taken in all corners of Egypt for the presidential runoff.
There are around 51 million voters in Egypt.
Meanwhile, Egyptian security forces shut down the Rafah Border Gate between Egypt and Gaza to prevent illegal trade during the presidential runoff.
