Media oulets are also subject to the ban. They are prohibited from broadcasting advertisements for presidential candidates or conducting any interviews with them, Egypt Independent reported.

The main contenders in the elections are former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi, last prime minister of Mubarak’s era Ahmed Shafiq and leftist leader Hamdeen Sabbahi, Islamist Abdul Muniem Abul Fotouh.

The country’s next president will be formally named on June 21.

Meanwhile, Former US President Jimmy Carter, head of the Carter Center rights group, arrived in Cairo Sunday leading a delegation from Paris that will stay in Egypt for one week to monitor the election. Egypt has welcomed 22 observers from the Carter Center to join 80 other people coming from different countries to monitor the first election after Hosni Mubarak resigned from office amid the uprising last year, according to Egypt Independent. Several other international observers arrived Sunday coming from New York and European cities.

Egypt’s next president will be formally named 21 June.

Meanwhile, results of Egyptian expatriate vote in Greece were announced on Friday with contender Amr Moussa coming first and Ahmed Shafiq second, Al Ahram Online reported.

Number of votes for each candidate are: Amr Moussa: 362, Ahmed Shafiq: 265,Hamdeen Sabbahi: 170,Abdel-Monem Abul-Fotouh: 167,Mohamed Mursi: 60.

The turnout was 50%