Egypt to announce election results today

The announcement was delayed following victory claims by both candidates that polarised the country

Egyptian authorities will today declare the much-awaited results of the country's divisive presidential elections after it was delayed following victory claims by both candidates that polarised the country.

According to Egyptian state TV, the election authority will announce the name of Hosni Mubarak's successor today.

Electoral Commission Secretary-General Hatem Bagato said on Sunday afternoon they will announce the results, ending the suspense on whether Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi or Mubarak's last premier Shafiq Ahmed will become the first democratically elected president of the most populous Arab country.

Both Mursi and Shafiq have claimed victory, citing their unofficial counts.

The electoral commission was initially scheduled to announce the results on Thursday but delayed the announcement as it needed extra time to examine the appeals filed by both candidates.

The announcement will mark the culmination of a process that started in January last year when a mass uprising swept Egypt and shook the three-decade-old iron rule of Mubarak.

However, there is much cynicism in the country, and growing apprehension that the military was trying to make a back door entry into governance.

Thousands of protesters have packed Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square over the last two days to protest military's tightening grasp on political power, after the Army took control of legislative powers following a court order that dissolved the recently-elected parliament.

Al Ahram yesterday reported that the Brotherhood appeared to be backing down from a showdown with the powerful military by negotiating a 'political deal' to pave the way for its candidate Mursi to be declared as the president-elect.