Egypt Parliament Elections set for Delay after Court Ruling

Parliamentary elections in Egypt are set to be delayed after the Supreme Court ruled part of an election law unconstitutional.

The ruling struck down part of the law that defined electoral districts.

Voting had been due to start on 21 March and run into April. A electoral commission spokesman said a “new timetable” was being drawn up.

Egypt’s main assembly was dissolved in 2012. The election is due to be the final transition from military rule.

Former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took power after the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

He was later elected president in May 2014.

The elections were scheduled to be held in several stages, but Sunday’s ruling has forced authorities to rethink their plans.

Mr Sisi approved a constituency law in December, creating 567 parliamentary seats. Of those, 420 which would be contested by individual candidates, 120 allocated according to party lists and 27 assigned by the president.

His supporters are expected to dominate the new chamber.

Following the court ruling the president asked for the law to be redrafted within a month. Candidates will then be asked to register again.

Lawyers who appealed against the law told the AFP news agency that in its current form it did not adequately represent the electorate.

Source: BBC