Omar Marwan, Spokesman of the Higher Electoral Commission (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Egypt’s parliamentary elections are on hold until further review of a ruling on the unconstitutionality of a law defining voter constituencies, the spokesman for the Higher Electoral Commision (HEC) said on Sunday.
The Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) ruled earlier in the day that the Constituency Division Law was “unconstitutional.”
The petitioners against the constitutionality of the law have argued that it violates the principle of fair, proportional representation of all voters.
Article 102 of the constitution stipulates that “the division of electoral constituencies must guarantee the equal representation of the population, and governorates, as well as the equitable representation of voters.”
HEC spokesman Omar Marwan told the press that HEC will convene an urgent meeting to discuss the consequences of the court verdict.
The SCC's verdict, according to Marwan, will be referred to the administrative court for legal review.
The Constituency Division Law will then be referred to a committee to rewrite it.
Finally, a new draft law will be referred to the president for approval.
The elections were initially meant to take place over two stages in March and April.
Egypt has been without a parliament since the house of representatives elected in late 2011 was dissolved in June 2012, following a court ruling that judged the law that regulated its election to be unconstitutional.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi holds legislative powers until an elected parliament convenes.
Once a parliament is elected, its members will have to vote on all laws issued by El-Sisi and his predecessor, interim president Adly Mansour.
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