Egypt's High Election Commission announced Saturday that only 38.6 percent of the country's more than 53 million eligible voters took part in the two-day poll.

This is the first vote since the nation’s powerful military deposed Egypt's former President Mohammed Morsi, following massive protests in July.

Despite the low turnout and widespread boycott of the vote, Egypt’s military-installed officials consider the vote as the key in legitimizing the country's caretaker government and its plan for parliamentary and presidential elections.

But Morsi's supporters and his outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, who boycotted the vote, have described the referendum as a sham, alleging massive electoral fraud.

Meanwhile, pro-Morsi supporters are calling for further protests following a day of deadly clashes on Friday with security forces in the capital, Cairo. Five people were reported killed during the clashes.

RA/MB