A senior judge, 'Abd al-Mu'iz Ibrāhīm, the chairman of the higher elections commission, said that citizenship is the only recognized rule, adding all citizens are equal with no discrimination on the basis of religion or language.

Counselor Ibrāhīm, in an interview to al-Jumhūrīyah newspaper, said that the age of election rigging is over, adding he will end his long judicial career with overseeing fair elections.

"Our mission is to get the Egyptian people to cross from dictatorship to democracy as the only way towards reform," he said, noting the people themselves will protect the elections.

He pointed out that the election monitoring commission will be fully judicial and would enjoy total independence and immunity for its members.