Egypt: Presidential Election Result Delayed

The official result of Egypt's presidential election - in which both candidates have claimed victory - has been delayed, adding to the tension over the vote.

The outcome was due to be announced on Thursday but election officials now say they need more time to consider a swathe of appeals which could influence the outcome.

Some 400 complaints over "irregularities" have been filed by the candidates and other organisations.

No new date has been set for the announcement and an election official indicated it would only happen when "all the representations had been heard".

The Muslim Brotherhood claims its candidate, Dr Mohamed Morsi , has secured almost 52% of the vote.

The Islamist movement's supporters began celebrating their "victory" just hours after the polls closed on Sunday night.

An independent group of Egyptian lawyers who were monitoring the election have conducted their own count of returns from polling stations and confirmed a win for Dr Morsi by more than 800,000 votes.

But his rival, Ahmed Shafiq , Hosni Mubarak's former prime minister, has claimed the Muslim Brotherhood has used "false" figures.

His campaign team says the 70-year-old former Air Force commander has secured the Presidency with 51% of the vote.

Mr Shafiq is seen as the favoured candidate of the Egyptian military and is derided by his critics as a "remnant" of the old regime.

But plenty of secular Egyptians are also unnerved by the prospect of Islamist rule under the Muslim Brotherhood.

There is the possibility of unrest whoever wins, but a victory for Mr Shafiq, bringing with it the suspicion of vote rigging by the military, could trigger an explosion of anger on the streets.

Egypt's ruling generals have pledged to hand over power to the new president by the end of the month, but they have granted themselves control over lawmaking and the country's budget in a move slammed by the Muslim Brotherhood as a "coup".

Adding to the uncertainty, there is still official silence over the condition of ousted President Mubarak who was transferred from jail to a military hospital after reportedly suffering a stroke.

Updates have come only from anonymous sources who have suggested the 84-year-old is now "stable".

Earlier, Mubarak, sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the killing of hundreds of his people during the revolution, had been reported to be in a coma and on life support .