First stage of Egypt's draft constitution referendum ends

 CAIRO, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The first stage of the referendum of Egypt's draft constitution ended Saturday night at 11:00 p.m. local time (2100 GMT).

Due to the high turnout, the closing time of the referendum was extended from 7:00 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) to 11:00 p.m. (2100 GMT).

The historic referendum was planned to run in two stages, according to a republican decree issued by President Mohamed Morsi on Wednesday.

The first stage of the referendum covers the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Daqahlya, Gharbeya, Sharqeya, Assiut, Souhag, Aswan, Southern and Northern Sinai, while the second phase will be held a week later in the rest of the country.

The Higher Elections Commission has said that the result of the referendum would be announced after the second stage of the voting on Dec. 22.

A total of 19 people were injured across the country during the Saturday voting due to overcrowding, including one wounded by gunshot, the Health Ministry¹ was quoted by the official MENA news agency as saying, adding that the investigation² into the incident was underway.

Meanwhile, the opposition³ Wafd party's building in central Cairo was attacked late Saturday by some Islamists with petrol bombs, yet no one was injured till now, said MENA.

According to the latest constitutional declaration issued by Morsi on Dec. 9, if the draft constitution was vetoed down, a new 100-member constitution-writing body would be formed to write a new charter.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。