Egypt's draft constitution approved by 63.8 pct of votes

CAIRO - Head of Egyptian Supreme Elections Commission, Samir Ahmed Aboul-Maaty, announced Tuesday evening that the newly-written draft constitution was approved by 63.8 percent of votes in referendum.

As many as 25 million eligible voters in 17 governorates, including Giza, Suez, Ismailia and Port Said, cast their votes Saturday in the second stage of the constitutional referendum, while the first stage held last week covered Cairo, Alexandria and eight other governorates, according to a republican decree issued by President Mohamed Morsi on December 12.

The previous initial results of the referendum showed about 63. 5 percent of voters approved of the disputed constitution.

Late in November, 85 members of the beleaguered Constituent Assembly (CA) approved the draft constitution after a 17-hour marathon vote. Morsi then called on Egyptians to cast their votes in the referendum.

Most liberals, leftists and Copts consider the draft written by the Islamist-dominated assembly does not represent all Egyptians, especially after major representatives of the civil camp withdrew from the assembly due to unbridgeable division with the Islamic side on some of the articles.