Ahead of Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential election slated for Sept. 7, almost all procedural matters of voting have been settled.

The Presidential Election Commission (PEC) in charge of laying out the procedures announced last week that voting will take place in 10,066 polling stations under full judicial supervision, and the voting hours will last from 8 a.m (5:00 GMT) to 8 p.m.(17:00 GMT).

Citizens who vote in polling stations where their names are registered will not need to show their voting cards, but have to show their identity papers, such as driving license or passport, said PEC.

Voters will have to dip their fingers in a phosphoric ink to ensure that they can not vote twice, as the ink can not be erased easily within 24 hours, the PEC added.

The Information Ministry has commissioned the State Information Service to set up on International Press Center to provide all the necessary resources to foreign and local reporters as well as representatives of civil society organization that may aid them in covering the election.

The Ministry said Saturday in a press release that its commitment is to ensure neutral and transparent coverage of the election.

The Ministry of Interior said Thursday that permits for rallies and marches as part of campaigns for the election will be suspended as of Sunday.

Interior Minister Habib el-Adly said in a meeting with his top aides that all candidates and their supporters have had ample opportunities to drum up public support nationwide since campaign began on Aug. 17.

He called on the Ministry to continue its impartial role till the end of the election, saying "all departments are to take whatever procedures necessary to facilitate all remaining steps in the electoral process and prevent any violation of the law."

He instructed ministry departments to continue to exercise self-restraint with regard to securing candidates' activities in the capital and the provinces until the end of the election and the announcement of results.

On Friday, Egyptian Judges' Club General Assembly agreed to supervise the election on condition that no judges should be excluded from the process.

Egyptian Administrative Court ruled Saturday that representatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) will be allowed to monitor the election.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981 and picked as his ruling National Democratic Party's candidate to run for a fifth six-year term, is widely expected to defeat nineother candidates in the first round.

A referendum in May approved a major constitutional amendment proposed by Mubarak, paving the way for the country's first direct multi-candidate presidential election, while abolishing the old system under which a sole presidential candidate chosen by parliament is put to a referendum for endorsement.

Source: Xinhua