CAIRO, Jan 8 (Aswat Masriya) Egyptians who live abroad started casting their vote on the constitution on Wednesday from nine am according to each country’s local time.

The polling stations will be open for five days, due to close on Sunday.

The number of Egyptians expatriates entitled to vote in the upcoming referendum rounds up at 681,000 people in 161 countries.

Egypt’s foreign ministry has appointed a team in Cairo to monitor the voting process of expats, Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said on Sunday.

A 50-member assembly has finished amending a constitution written by an Islamist-assembly last year and presented it to interim President Adli Mansour who has called for a referendum on January 14 and 15.  

The elections committee overseeing the referendum has decided to cancel postal voting, making ballots only valid through direct voting.