Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak said on Sunday that the country's recent parliamentary election was "consistent with the law" despite minor violations in some districts, dpa reported.
"Negative behaviour by some candidates and their supporters do not deny the fact that elections were consistent with the law in most constituencies, away from violence and violations," Mubarak said in a speech addressing the ruling party's parliamentary committee.
Monitors and opposition groups said the election was marred by fraud that favoured the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), which swept the elections for the lower house with over 80 per cent of the vote.
Opposition groups faired poorly, winning few seats in the 518- member People's Assembly.
"I hoped the other parties would get better results, and I wish they had not wasted their efforts in the controversy over boycotting the elections," Mubarak said in a televised speech.
Egyptian dissident Mohamed ElBaradei appealed to voters and the opposition in September to boycott the polls. Few small parties joined the call.
After the November 28 first round, the largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the liberal al-Wafd party, the oldest in the country, announced they would withdraw from the second round citing vote-rigging in favour of the NDP.
However, their candidates were still registered for the run-off, and al-Wafd won six seats.
Last week ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, called the elections a "farce" and urged people to boycott the 2011 presidential vote, voicing concerns over vote- rigging next year.
The elections this year were seen as an indicator ahead of next year's presidential poll.
Mubarak, 82, who has been in power for nearly 30 years, has yet to name a vice-president or successor, or to confirm whether he will seek another six-year term in 2011.
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