President Morsi can issue a new constitutional declaration to assign professors, lawyers or other trusted groups to oversee the constitutional referendum, lawyer and former Freedom and Justice Party MP, Ahmed Abou-Baraka, has said.

Speaking to the Al-Ahram Arabic website, Abou-Baraka said the action could be taken if judges continue their strike and refuse to oversee the referendum.

The Judges Club does not have the authority to announce a boycott of the referendum because it is under the control of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), he added.

Moreover, the SJC is legally bound to oversee the national referendum set by President Morsi for 15 December.

Abou-Baraka's comments come a day after the Judges Club announced its members would not oversee the referendum.

President Morsi made a constitutional declaration on 22 November which expanded his powers and has been described by opposition figures as 'autocratic'.