Egypt's Administrative Court referred on Saturday a case on the constitutionality of Shura Council (upper house of parliament) elections to the High Constitutional Court (HCC).

Although the Administrative Court was to rule on the issue 10 July, it met during a “special session" to decide on the issue.

The legal challenge to the Shura Council elections is based on the fact that members of political parties were allowed to compete with independent candidates for the individual candidacy seats, violating the principle of equal opportunity.

People’s Assembly (lower house of parliament) elections were found unconstitutional by the HCC on 14 June for the same reason. The assembly was consequently dissolved by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

Three other controversial cases are pending consideration by the Administrative Court, including one on the constitutionality of the addendum to the March 2011 Constitutional Declaration SCAF issued in June 2012, the constitutionality of the decision to dissolve parliament, and the constitutionality of the parliament-chosen Constituent Assembly tasked with writing a permanent constitution.