Egyptians have resumed voting in a constitutional referendum, with turnout expected to hold the key to a likely presidential bid by army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after clashes killed nine the previous day.
In the capital Cairo, early turnout was lacklustre on Wednesday, the second day of the vote, with a trickle of Egyptians heading to polling stations in the morning, an AFP journalist said.
Sporadic clashes between supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and their opponents and police left at least nine dead on Tuesday.
Listen: Egyptians vote on new constitution, Aileen Phillips reportsTuesday's violence highlighted the government's precarious grip on the most populous Arab nation, which is still reeling from Morsi's ouster and a crackdown on his supporters.
The constitution, which replaces the one passed under Morsi, is expected to be approved despite a boycott by his Islamist supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood.
The charter adopted under Morsi was approved with 64 per cent of the vote, but just 33 per cent of the country's 53 million voters turned out.
About 250 people were also arrested on Tuesday, among them members of the Brotherhood, for disrupting polling in areas.
More than 1000 people have been killed in clashes since Morsi's ouster, and thousands have been arrested, including the top leadership of the Brotherhood.
Morsi's Brotherhood was designated a terrorist group by the military-installed authorities as part of their crackdown on the movement that dominated all polls since the ouster of long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak in early 2011.
Egyptian media came out in praise of Tuesday's first day of polling.
"Yes, even if criminals hate it," said a front-page headline in Al-Wafd, a private daily, referring to supporters of Morsi.
"Egyptians choose their future as millions write history," state-owned daily Al-Gomhuria said.
The Egyptian government hopes a large turnout in favour of the new constitution will bolster its disputed authority, while General al-Sisi will monitor it for an "indicator" of his popularity, an official close to the general said.
Interim president Adly Mansour's government has pledged the referendum will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections.
