Cairo traffic halted before much anticipated Constitutional Court verdict

Traffic halted on roads approaching Supreme Constitutional Court prior to Thursday's ruling that could disqualify Ahmed Shafiq from presidential runoff. Roads near the Supreme Constitutional Court in Cairo's Maadi district have been closed prior to Thursday's anticipated ruling on the disenfranchisement and parliamentary election laws. The Corniche Road linking Maadi with nearby bridges and roads is blocked by the police and army. Drivers are advised to avoid the area if possible.   Thursday's court ruling on the disenfranchisement law could have a profound impact on the presidential election, an official source at the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) told the Al-Ahram Arabic website. Firstly, there will be a fresh election if Shafiq is disqualified from the race. Secondly, if the court decides the law is unconstitutional, Shafiq will continue in the runoff. Thirdly, the court may decide to postpone the ruling until after the presidential runoff, allowing Shafiq to run. Egypt's presidential election runoff between the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi and Mubarak's last premier Ahmed Shafiq will take place on 16-17 June. From: Ahram online