Egyptians in Cairo and several cities vote Sunday in the first stage of elections for the upper house of parliament.

Voters will cast ballots for the Shura council over different days at various governorates nationwide.

They come after the Muslim Brotherhood dominated the lower house poll in Egypt's first election since protesters toppled former President Hosni Mubarak last year following decades of authoritarian rule.

In the lower house parliamentary elections, Islamist parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood performed more strongly than the liberal parties representing some protesters.

Two Islamist parties won about 70% of the seats in the lower house of parliament poll, according to electoral commission figures.