Hundreds of Egyptians march on the Defence Ministry in Cairo in a growing row over who is allowed to run in next month's presidential elections.

The protesters, mainly Islamists from the ultra-conservative Salafi movement, have been angered by a ban on two Islamist candidates.

One was barred from running for office because his mother, now dead, had dual U.S.-Egyptian citizenship.

Yet the Presidential Election commission that made those decisions has ruled the last prime minister under deposed President Hosni Mubarak can stand.

Ahmed Shafiq was originally thrown out of the race.

The decision has called into question the intentions of the military and is being seen by many as an attempt to bring back Mubarak's old guard.

SOUNDBITE: ISLAMIST ACTIVIST, DR KHALED GHARIB, SAYING (Arabic):

"The regime, with all of its personnel and policies, is still present," (THIS MAN SAYS). "The country is being administered by the most important personnel of the regime, namely the Military Council. This march is taking place to demand the end of military rule and for the revolutionary forces to govern the country. We also demand the fall of the Election Commission which is being controlled by the Military Council."

The protesters' path to the Defence Ministry was blocked by troops.

There was also a cordon of barbed wire to stop them reaching the building.

The generals who've ruled Egypt since Mubarak was overthrown have promised to hand over power to a new president by July 1st.

Elections are due to take place later in May with no candidate expected to win more than half the votes in the first round.

Paul Chapman, Reuters