CAIRO - 20 April 2019: The first day of the referendum kicked off in Egypt, where polling stations across governorates have opened their doors at 9 a.m., and will close at 9 p.m. for three consecutive days.
TV channels showed queues of voters at some polling stations waiting minutes before the doors were opened and they were allowed in to cast their ballot by either agree or disagree on a set of proposed constitutional amendments passed by the parliament Tuesday.
A number of societal dialogues were held over the past weeks attended by various segments and experts in the country, to discuss the amendments ahead of a plenary session at the House of Representatives, where parliamentarians voted for passing them.
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Queues of voters lined up outside polling stations in Giza to vote in referendum - Photo by Karim Abdel Aziz/Egypt Today
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Queues of voters lined up outside polling stations in Giza to vote in referendum - Photo by Karim Abdel Aziz/Egypt Today
Security measures beefed up
Armed Forces and the Ministry of Interior have beefed up security measures in the streets, around vital facilities and at schools assigned to host referendum process across the country, as Egyptians started the first voting day on Saturday.
The armed forces have ensured all forces participating in security measures are aware of the tasks assigned to them to protect and secure citizens heading to polling stations, and to confront any threats that might encounter the voters during the referendum process.
The armed forces is expected to release statements detailing the way the forces secure polling stations in coordination with police forces, and all measures taken in this regard. surveillance aircrafts and vehicles supported with live streaming techniques are used to provide a live update on the referendum, and to report any problem spotted during the voting process to the main military operation chamber in order to solve it.
The first day of the referendum kicked off in Egypt, where polling stations across governorates have opened their doors at 9 a.m., and will close at 9 p.m. for three consecutive days.
Security forces outside polling stations - Amr Mostafa/Egypt Today
Armed and security forces outside military and vital facilities as first voting day in referendum in Egypt kicks off - Press photo
President Sisi casts vote
President Abdel Fatal al-Sisi has cast his vote Saturday in the referendum on a set of proposed constitutional amendments on the first voting day in Egypt.
TV channels broadcast President Sisi while he was casting the ballot at the El-Shaheed Yousry Emara School in Heliopolis, Cairo. The polling stations across Egypt are set to open at 9 a.m., where queues of voters are allowed to cast their ballots.
President Abdel Fatal al-Sisi has cast his vote Saturday in the referendum on a set of proposed constitutional amendments on the first voting day in Egypt - TV Screenshot
President Abdel Fatal al-Sisi has cast his vote Saturday in the referendum on a set of proposed constitutional amendments on the first voting day in Egypt - TV Screenshot
First Lady Intissar al-Sisi casts ballot in constitutional amendments
First Lady Intissar al-Sisi on Saturday cast her ballot in the new constitutional amendments in El-Shaheed Yousry Emara School in Heliopolis.
High women turnout in referendum
A few hours into voting on the constitutional amendments, it is clear that Egyptian women are the highest turnout so far. Women from all over Egypt have gone to submit their votes in the referendum.
It seems that, as always, women are taking the lead in securing the future of the country by putting their opinion forward, and saying what they believe.
Women in Alexandria have gone out in especially high numbers.
Pope Tawadros casts ballot
Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Diocese cast his ballot in the referendum on the constitutional amendments in Cairo's El Waily district.
In a statement after voting, the pontiff expressed his pleasure over participating in the referendum, saying that the amendments were carefully considered by the parliament.
The pontiff described participation in the referendum as a citizenship right.
He called on citizens to participate in the referendum and express their opinions in full freedom, confirming that voting on the constitutional amendments is a national duty.
NEA: Referendum on constitutional amendments goes on regularly
Deputy Chairman of the National Election Authority (NEA) Mahmoud El-Sherif said that the workflow at all polling stations of the referendum on constitutional amendments is going on regularly.
Sherif, who is also the NEA's spokesman, said that the polling stations abroad resumed work on Saturday morning at 9 am according to the local time of each country, adding that 140 diplomatic missions in 124 countries are overseeing the voting process.
The NEA has not received any complaints nationwide on the referendum process, Sherif noted, stressing that voting inside the country is going on in a regular manner.
Egypt ministers vote in constitutional amendments referendum
Egyptian ministers were keen to participate in forming up that piece of Egypt's history by casting their ballots in the constitutional amendment referendum.
CAIRO - 20 April 2019: As the first day for resident Egyptians to vote in referendum on draft constitutional amendments kicked off on Saturday, Egyptian ministers were keen to participate in forming up that piece of Egypt's history by casting their ballots in the constitutional amendment referendum.
NCW head votes on constitutional amendments
Maya Morsy, head of the National Council for Women (NCW) cast her ballot in a referendum on a set of proposed constitutional amendments, in a polling station in Giza's Dokki district.
Morsy called on Egyptian women to take part in the referendum.
Arab League praises referendum on constitutional amendments
The League of Arab States Secretary General, Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, praised the progress of the referendum on amendments of some articles of the Egyptian constitution, according to a statement issued by the Arab League Saturday.
This came during Ghazaleh's inspection of a number of polling stations in Cairo's district of Zamalek in order to follow up the voting process.
According to a statement, Ghazaleh said that the voting process began smoothly in the polling stations despite the delay in some places, adding that the voters asserted that the referendum's logistics were available.
The voters highlighted also the key role played by the army and police personnel in securing the voting process, she added.
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