Egypt's upper house to stay until lower house elected

Egyptian presidency said in a statement Sunday that the upper house of parliament will continue working as the country's legislative authority until the lower house is elected. "The Shura Council will continue practicing its legislative rule in full until the state institutions are completed and the legislative authority is transferred to the new House of Representatives," said the statement. The presidential statement came in response to a verdict of the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) that said the Shura Council is unconstitutional. The top court yet agreed the Shura Council will remain in charge of the country's legislation until the House of Representatives is elected. The SCC also ruled the Constituent Assembly that drafted the country's new constitution is unconstitutional. In response, the presidential statement noted the constitution was approved by a majority of votes in a popular referendum, and thus "protecting and respecting the constitution is a duty for all state authorities." There has been disagreement between the presidency and the SCC since the latter dissolved the powerful lower house due to the unconstitutionality of its election law, a few days before Islamist-oriented Mohamed Morsi was elected as president in June. Morsi later held the legislative power until the Shura Council was established. Moreover, in late December, the SCC was besieged by angry Islamist supporters of Morsi, whose protest delayed the court's ruling on two lawsuits filed against the Shura Council and the Constituent Assembly until the constitution was drafted. Two-thirds of the Islamist-dominated 270-member Shura Council were elected while the other 90 members were directly appointed by Morsi in late December, following the establishment of the new constitution.