Egyptians vote for 2nd day in presidential election

Egyptian voters cast ballot for the second day in a three-day presidential election on Tuesday, amid calls for high turnout in the polls.

Polling stations opened at 9:00 a.m. local time (7:00 GMT) and will close at 9:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT) amid tight security measures.

Egyptian authorities have been encouraging citizens to turn out in masses, while the opposition has called for boycotting the vote.

Videos aired by local media on the first day of voting on Monday showed celebrations at polling stations, amid criticism from opposition groups.

Around 59 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the polls, in which incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and liberal candidate Musa Mustafa Musa are competing.

Egyptians living abroad cast ballot for three days in the presidential polls last week.

The vote is held amid tight security measures as security forces are fighting a deadly insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula near border with Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Al-Sisi is certain to win a landslide in the polls after would-be challengers were effectively sidelined in the run-up to the polls.

Official results of the polls will be announced on April 2.

A former defense minister, Al-Sisi spearheaded a 2013 military coup that unseated Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president and a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood group.