Egypt’s ruling military council proposes the first parliamentary elections should take place on 21 November.

These will be the first elections to take place since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February. A formal announcement is scheduled to be made in a decree on 26 September.

The election commission head Abdel Moez Ibrahim was quoted by local media as saying voting for the lower house, the People’s Assembly, would take place in three stages, the first on 21 November and the last on 3 January. Upper house elections would take place between 22 January and 4 March.

No date has yet been set for a presidential election, although this is due to take place in March or April 2012.

On 18 September, former Tourism Minister Zoheir Garranah was sentenced to three years in prison for corruption. Garranah is already serving a five-year sentence received on 10 May for allowing investors to illegally acquire state land.

On 15 September, steel magnate Ahmed Ezz was sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption. Ezz was an insider of Mubarak’s ruling party. Former Trade Minister Rachid Mohammed Rachid was also sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison.

Mubarak’s own trial is currently ongoing. He is charged with ordering the killing of protesters during the 18-day uprising. Mubarak and his two sons are also charged with corruption.