The Higher Presidential Election Committee in Cairo said Friday that documents have been received from four independent candidates and representatives of five political parties.
Ayman Nour, a leader of the opposition party Ghad (Tomorrow), who is accused of forging registration papers, was the first submit the document. Nour's trial is scheduled for September 26.
No delegate for incumbent president Hosni Mubarak who announced Thursday that he would stand for a fifth term has yet arrived at the committee's headquarters.
A crowd of journalists and Cairo residents gathered near the headquarters Friday morning.
The registration of candidates will continue until August 4. In accordance with Egyptian law, presidential nominees need support from 250 members of parliament and local legislative assemblies. Political parties which were registered not less than 5 years ago can also nominate their candidates.
Mubarak became Egyptian president in 1981 and was re-elected four times in nationwide referendums. The first alternative presidential elections will take place in Egypt in September 2005.
