Egypt commission suggests election timetable

CAIRO — The head of Egypt’s election commission disclosed a proposed timetable for parliamentary elections, saying a series of ballots could start as soon as Nov. 21, according to Egyptian media reports Sunday.

Egypt’s ruling interim military government, however, must still ratify the dates. According to Al-Youm al-Sabea newspaper, the election commission has submitted a timetable with lower house elections happening in three stages starting Nov. 21 and ending Jan. 3. Elections for the upper house would begin Jan. 22 and finish March 4.

The election commission had not yet submitted a proposed date for presidential elections. Seven months after popular uprisings brought the fall of longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the interim government is under mounting pressure from youth groups and democracy activists to set official election dates as quickly as possible.