Polling stations opened Monday in nine of 27 districts for the first round of Egypt's parliamentary elections. About 17.5 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the first round that runs for two days, according to government figures. The number of seats up for grabs in the first round is 168, contested by 3,809 candidates. Polling stations are scheduled to close at 7pm local time (1700 GMT). Islamist parties, which are now officially licensed, are expected to make big wins in the three-round elections that run through until January 10, according to a report of the German Press Agency 'DPA'. The new parliament will be tasked with setting up a committee to draft a new constitution before the presidential election by the end of June.
