Cairo, June 16 (Xinhua-RIA Novosti-RHC) -- Egyptians started their historic voting in the presidential run-off between the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Morsi, and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq. According to local news reports, both men have vowed to restore stability and security to Egypt.

The country’s ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) is due to hand power over to the new president on July 1. But the run-up to the election, which will continue on Sunday, has been marred in controversy after the Supreme Constitutional Court dissolved parliament on Thursday. The Court ruled that the law governing last year’s parliamentary elections was unconstitutional.

Morsi’s Freedom and Justice Party controlled nearly half of the seats in the 508-member People’s Assembly, which has been in session for just over four months. The Council’s ruling was condemned as a “coup” by a number of scholars and politicians.

The total number of eligible voters is about 50 million. The voting of Egyptians abroad has been completed but results have not been announced. The Egyptian government has urged citizens to participate in the voting and accept the results, which will be officially announced on Thursday.

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