Egyptian voters wait to vote at a polling station in the village of Ayat, Giza province, Egypt, on Oct. 18, 2015. The first day of the first phase of Egypt's long-awaited parliamentary elections covering country's 14 provinces out of 27 saw a tight security and a relatively low turnout. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
CAIRO, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Egyptians began voting Sunday in the country's first parliamentary election since former Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in 2013.
The long-awaited polls will be conducted in two phases between Oct. 17 and Dec. 2, with Egyptians residing abroad beginning casting votes on Saturday.
More than 27 million voters from 14 provinces are expected to cast their ballots on Sunday and Monday in the first phase, according to the country's High Electoral Committee.
The parliament will be made up of 596 seats, of which 448 will be elected as independents, 120 go to winner-takes-all party lists, and the rest 28 will be presidential appointees.
After the previous assembly was dissolved in June 2012, Egypt has been without a parliament for three years.
