Egyptians vote again for new constitution

An elderly Egyptian woman casts her ballot paper during the referendum on the draft constitution, in Luxor, Egypt, 14 January 2014. (EPA/RADWAN ABUL MAGD/ALMASRY ALYOUM EGYPT)

Egyptians took to the polling stations on Tuesday in a two-day referendum for a revised constitution. It is the first ballot since the military overthrew President Mohamed Morsi on July 3, 2013 and the third time Egyptians have voted on constitutional arrangements since the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Security was high surrounding polling stations where citizens lined up in queues while waiting to cast their vote. According to local media, about 200,000 security forces were being deployed to protect the balloting stations. The government has pledged a “zero tolerance” policy against any group or person wanting to disrupt the two-day vote. Hours before the polling stations opened, however, a bomb exploded near a court in the neighbourhood of Imbaba in Giza. There were no casualties in that attack, but at least 11 are reported dead amid clashes throughout the country on Tuesday.