Egyptian court rules parliamentary election law ' unconstitutional'

Egypt's Constitutional Court rejected Monday the parliamentary election law submitted by the Shura Council, deeming some of its articles as "unconstitutional," official news agency MENA reported. The move came after the Commissioners Authority, a body affiliated to the Constitutional Court, issued a statement, stating that five articles of the law are "unconstitutional." The commissioners authority, which submits reports to the court over the constitutionality of laws, challenged the constitutionality of an article that allows party members to compete for individual seats, which means sharing the chance of independent nominees. The commissioners also challenged an article connected with the division of constituencies nationwide, and judicial supervision over voting of Egyptians abroad, along with a woman-related article which violates the principle of equality. The court also ruled other articles which are connected with the definition of the worker status as a candidate, disenfranchisement law are unconstitutional, and that any member who change his political affiliation during his tenure in the parliament should be stripped of his membership. The court decision is feared to lead to a constitutional crisis, as the newly approved constitution stipulates that the new parliamentary elections should be run within 60 days following ratification, or to be clear, Feb. 22. The Shura Council, Egypt's upper house of parliament, will re- consider the elections law and amend the rejected articles, then refer it again to the court, which will take time. The court's decision and long procedures to amend it are expected to postpone the coming parliamentary elections.