Egypt constitution: First round of referendum ends Published duration 16 December 2012

media caption Lyse Doucet reports on the long queues at Egyptian polling stations to vote on the country's new constitution

Voting has closed in Egypt in the first leg of a referendum on a controversial new constitution, after a high turnout.

President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood have endorsed the document, but critics say it is poorly drafted and overly favours Islamists.

The opposition National Salvation Front coalition has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to rig the vote.

The headquarters of the opposition al-Wafd party has been attacked, reportedly by extremist Islamists.

Two people are said to have been hurt during the attack in Cairo.

In other violence, a man was shot and injured in a clash between rival groups outside a polling station in the city of Dakahlia while, across Egypt, 18 people were treated for exhaustion.

However, the ballot, which is staggered over Saturday and a second day of voting in a week's time, appears to have gone smoothly overall.

Saturday's ballot took place in Cairo, Alexandria and eight other provinces, a week before the rest of the country. Voting was extended to 23:00 (21:00 GMT) because of the high turnout.

Some 250,000 security personnel have been deployed to safeguard a referendum in which more than 51 million people are registered to vote.

Polling reportedly had to be spread out because few judges were willing to supervise the referendum.

Human rights groups have expressed fears the results from the first round could sway the opinion of those voting in the second.

A constitution must be in place before elections can be held early next year.

Mr Morsi was elected president in June with just over half of the vote, more than a year after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular revolt in Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world.

'Wrong for Egypt'

The simple ballot paper asks if Egyptians support or oppose the new constitution. Backers include President Morsi, who voted near the presidential palace in the Cairo district of Heliopolis, the Muslim Brotherhood and most other Islamists.

Opponents include liberals and others who want a more secular future for Egypt. Some of them say the new constitution would take away some of the new freedoms hard won in last year's revolution.

Voters interviewed by Reuters news agency in Cairo were hopeful the vote would bring some calm to Egypt.

"I see this as a positive step for the country... a good base that we can start to work from," said one, Ahmed Gindy.

In the northern port city of Alexandria, where there were clashes on Friday between rival activists fighting with clubs, stones and other weapons, Mohamed Ewais explained why he was voting "No".

"I cannot accept a constitution with very limited... rights for minorities, rights for women, rights for even children," he told the Associated Press news agency.

BBC Arabic reporters covering the referendum from outside Cairo say the situation was calm amid a high turnout

In Alexandria, long queues formed at polling stations and voters complained about the waiting time

In Mahalla, a city in the Delta that has seen big anti-Morsi demonstrations, polling stations were heaving with people, with heated political discussions outside the voting booths

In Assiut, Upper Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood is popular, there was tight security from the police and military, including tanks guarding some polling stations

'Irregularities'

media caption President Morsi casts his vote in Cairo

The violence in Alexandria reportedly broke out after a cleric at a mosque urged worshippers to vote "Yes".

It continued late into the evening, with police firing tear gas, and at least 15 people injured in the fighting.

Supporters of the draft constitution have accused the opposition of sowing "lies and discord" about the referendum.

The opposition National Salvation Front had vehemently opposed the referendum but this week said its supporters should go to the ballot boxes to vote "No".

In a statement on Saturday, it expressed "deep concern... over the number of irregularities and violations in the holding of the referendum".

This, it alleged, pointed to a "clear desire for vote-rigging by the Muslim Brotherhood".