Egypt's Constitutional court rejects draft election laws

Egypt’s High Constitutional Court (HCC) declared five articles of the draft election law to as unconstitutional and sent the written text back to the Shura Council for redrafting that could delay parliamentary poll due in April. What the law states to regulate upcoming elections was drafted through the Shura Council, the Upper House of Parliament, that is currently endowed with legislative powers following a dissolution of the People’s Assembly in June 2012(with a HCC order), and was given to the HCC for approval before so it must be ratified by the President.

A legal court found irregularities in articles regarding the delineation of constituencies and number of seats invested in each governorate to be more proportionate for their population sizes. The Shura Council will need to add amendments to the article before February 25. The Constitution stipulates the law must be approved by the court within 45 times of it being passed by the Shura Council.