Election affairs advisor to the prime minister, Major General Refaat Komsan said the High Elections Commission will begin the preparations for parliamentary elections after the inauguration of the New Suez Canal.
The House of Representatives will be elected before the end of this year, Komsan said on Monday, adding that the New Urban Communities Authority will be granted independent seats in the parliament.
In the latest revision of the constituencies law, the size of some of the 250 electoral constituencies was reduced, in order to increase opportunities for women candidates, according to Komsan, who expects the new parliament to include around 80 female MPs.
According to the latest voters database, issued in May 2015, male voters represent 51 percent, and females 49 percent of all voters, Komsan said, calling for spreading awareness among women in rural areas about the importance of participating in the elections.
"There are 27 million female voters that we do not want to waste their votes," Komsan mentioned.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
