Polls held Thursday within the framework of the third round of Egypt's legislative elections, which have been marred by violence and allegations of fraud. On Thursday, Egyptian police killed a supporter of an opposition politician and injured dozens of people when they opened fire at people waiting to vote, the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights said, according to Reuters.
So far, the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood has increased its seats in parliament fivefold. In the 454-seat People's Assembly, Brotherhood-affiliated figures held just 15 seats in the outgoing parliament but already have gained 76 in the first two rounds of the vote for the next legislature. Despite the ban, Egyptian authorities have allowed the Brotherhood to run with independent candidates.
The ruling NDP party has won 201 seats and other independent or opposition candidates have taken 25.
10,606,000 Egyptians are eligible to vote in this final round where the last 136 parliamentary seats in 68 constituencies in nine governorates are being contested by 1,774 candidates.
Nearly 900 Brotherhood supporters reportedly have been detained by police, with hundreds among them still in custody, the AP reported. More than 500 Brotherhood followers were detained in the last three days before this round alone, the organization said and police confirmed.
