CAIRO, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak cast his vote Wednesday on a key amendment to the constitution which will allow direct multi-candidate presidential elections, the Egyptian television reported.

    The 77-year-old president and his wife Susan Mubarak voted at 11:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) in a polling station in Heliopolis Modern School in eastern Cairo.

    Voting started at around 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) at more than 54,000 polling stations across the country.

    Some 32.5 million voters are asked about whether they agree on the amendment which the Egyptian government described as a "historic opportunity" for political reforms in the country.  

    All the votes will be sent later to 329 counting centers after voting closes at around 7:00 p.m. local time (1600 GMT).  

    Mubarak on Tuesday urged all Egyptian voters to participate in the key referendum on the constitutional amendment. 

    In a keynote speech to the Egyptians on the eve of the referendum, Mubarak called on citizens to "shoulder the national responsibility with honesty and honor" and vote.

    In late Febuary, Mubarak proposed to the parliament that the constitution be amended to allow more candidates to stand in the presidential race.

    Mubarak has served four consecutive six-year terms since 1981 when former President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Islamic extremists.

    The Egyptian leader has not announced his candidacy for this year's presidential elections yet.  Enditem