Egypt's Shura Council president-appointed members take oath

New Morsi appointed 90 members take constitutional oath on Wednesday, as two procedural meetings are scheduled to be held on same day The Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament (Shura Council) saw the new president-appointed 90 members take constitutional oath in a televised session on Wednesday. The Shura Council is due to hold two procedural meetings on Wednesday in preparation for a new parliamentary season after assuming legislative power for the first time in 32 years. The parliamentary upper chamber, which was protected from dissolution by a controversial presidential decree last month, will have the legislative authority until a new lower house of parliament is elected within two months after nearly 64 per cent of Egyptians approved the new constitution. A number of prominent figures are among those appointed, including the deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party Essam El-Erian, former head of the military judiciary Adel El-Morsi, American University in Cairo professor Mona Makram Ebeid, and former MP Ramy Lakah. Meanwhile, a number of opposition figures including journalists Wael Qandil and Gameela Abu-Ismail have declined presidential invitations to join the council. From Ahramonline