CAIRO: The Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC) under Counselor Farouq Sultan announced that it will close its doors at 2.00 p.m., today, Sunday, April 8, 2012, the deadline for receiving applications for presidency. HPEC Secretary General Hatem Bagato said that the commission is dealing with all presidential candidates on an equal footing. He stressed that law is applied to all without exception. Bagato pointed out that the commission will not accept documents of those who do not meet conditions of nomination including those related to nationality. On the other hand, Bagato noted that reports to be published by any local or foreign group on the coming presidential elections will be non-binding to Egypt. Those groups will be allowed to monitor the polls in line with the law and conditions to be set by the commission later, Bagato stated. Observers will be obligated to hold permits to visit polling stations, Bagato asserted.
