Egypt's military rulers Wednesday pledged to hand over power more than a month ahead of schedule if a candidate wins a clear majority in the first round of elections due to take place later in May, reported state television.
The deputy chief of the ruling military council, Sami Anan, said the junta would be ready to transfer power on May 24 if one of 13 contenders standing for president won the first round of the vote due to be held on May 23, dpa reported.
A run-off vote is scheduled for June 16-17 in Egypt's first presidential polls since Hosny Mubarak was removed from power in February last year, should no candidate win outright.
The date of power transfer from the military to an elected civilian authority has been one of the key questions dogging Egypt's transitional period since Mubarak's overthrow.
The military had previously said it would hand over power to an elected civilian administration by June 30.
"The military council impatiently waits for the end of the presidential elections," independent lawmaker Mustafa Bakri quoted Anan as saying at a meeting with politicians in Cairo.
The latest pledge comes amid increasing demands from the opposition for the military rulers to expedite power handover.
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