21 Jun 2012

Egypt delays announcing election winner

2:29 pm on 21 June 2012

The announcement of the result of the Egyptian presidential election has been put off to an unspecified date.

Results were due to be announced on Thursday but the country's Supreme Elections Commission says it needs more time to look into complaints about the election, the BBC reports.

Both candidates, Islamist Mohammed Mursi and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, claim they won last weekend's vote.

Thousands of people have again gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, in protest at the delay in announcing the poll result and also against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Recent constitutional amendments have given the military council sweeping political and legislative powers.

The council has led the country since Hosni Mubarak was ousted as president last year.

Meanwhile, the former president remains in a critical condition in an army hospital.

Mr Mubarak is said to have had a series of strokes and to be on a life-support machine, but there has been no official word on his condition.