CAIRO, June 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Fathi Sorour, speaker of Egyptian People's Assembly (PA), lower house of the parliament, said the nomination period for candidates for the presidential election slated for September will open on July 18, a government source told Xinhua Tuesday.

    Sorour did not say how long the registration period will last, but confirmed the election will be held in the second half of September.

    The source, who declined to be named, quoted Sorour as saying that the PA will discuss the presidential election law on Wednesday after it is passed down by the Shura Council, the upper house of the parliament.

    The law will regulate the campaigning period, funding and the supervision and monitoring of the election.

    A 10-member committee of judges and public figures is expected to be formed to oversee the election.

    About 83 percent of Egyptian voters with a turnout of 53 percent voted yes to a key constitutional amendment in the May 25 referendum, which allows multi-candidate to run in the presidential election for the first time in the country's history.

    According to the amendment, any political party recognized by the government will be able to field a candidate in the election.

    Under Egypt's current political system, the president is not elected directly by the electorate. Instead, the parliament chooses a sole candidate and the only nominee is put to a referendum.

    President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country since 1981, proposed in February to amend the constitution but he has not indicated whether he will seek a fifth six-year term.

    Local press reported up until now 10 Egyptian parties have intended to nominate presidential candidates. Enditem