Egypt court rejects constitutional draft articles spelling out its powers

Head of Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court rejects all articles of draft constitution concerning its powers, claims draft represents attempt to interference in court's affairs

Ahram Online, Tuesday 16 Oct 2012

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Egypt's High Constitution Court (Photo: Reuters)

Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) rejects all constitutional draft articles concerning its powers, SCC head Judge Maher El-Beheiri declared at a Tuesday press conference.

On Wednesday, Egypt's Constituent Assembly, tasked with drawing up a new national charter, released its first official draft constitution.

According to El-Beheiri, the draft represents an attempt to "interfere in the SCC's affairs." He also complained about the "vagueness" of draft articles related to the SCC.

El-Beheiri went on to say that the court's general assembly would continue meeting until all draft articles "that threaten judiciary independence" were amended.

Meanwhile, Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday is expected to begin looking into legal complaints against the constitution-drafting body. Several lawsuits have been filed challenging the assembly's constitutionality and the mechanisms employed for selecting its members.

The SCC ruled in June that the law that regulated last year's parliamentary polls was unconstitutional. This led to the dissolution of the People's Assembly (the lower house of Egypt's parliament), which had appointed the Constituent Assembly's 100 members.

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mumby

19-10-2012 12:41pm

Judges again

Judges still need serving the people of Egypt.Elected president should has right to appoint judges. Independent of judges doesn't mean the elected president has zero power on judges. The people could remove president via electoral ballot but people can not remove judges.Judges could removed by elected president.This is common in many countries in the world.Us president appoint the judges,it does not mean US president above laws

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Imad Jad, Port Said

16-10-2012 07:21pm

The judges are not above the will of the people

Are the judges above the will of the people? Most of the Judges in Egypt atre remnants of the Old tyrannical regime.

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Jisan

16-10-2012 07:16pm

Judicial independence

The judges, who collaborated with Mubarak in human rights violations and other crimes, are now preaching judicial independence. They must follow the fate of Tantawi. It's just a matter of time.

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mumby

16-10-2012 05:15pm

Judges

Judges still need serving the people of Egypt.Elected president should has right to appoint judges. This is common in many countries in the world.Independent of judges doesn't mean the elected president has zero power on judges.What is common is better

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A.K.

17-10-2012 04:33am

Dina is right !

The judiciary independence is part of the separation of powers in a democratic country. The draft articles that threaten judiciary independence must be amended.

Dina

16-10-2012 10:41pm

You are wrong

In other parts of the world, the judiciary is INDEPENDENT. The president is not above the law. Even Mubarak did not have the power Morsi has given himself. How dare he try and kick out the public prosecutor because he did not like a verdict. The judges in other countries stay till they retire or die, then a president can pick a replacement. Not for an entire set of judges either, maybe just one. What Morsi and MB want to do is replace judges with ones that will have MB ties. Then you have complete dominance by one group over EVERYTHING. Mubarak days will not compare.

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