CAIRO
Egypt's highest court has ruled that one of the laws regulating the upcoming parliamentary elections was unconstitutional, prompting an immediate delay of the March polls.
In a ruling Sunday, the Supreme Constitutional Court struck down Article 3 of the law which defines constituencies nationwide.
The constituency law was the only out of three legislations regulating the polls to be issued by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who holds the legislative power in the absence of a sitting parliament.
The court's rulings are binding to the state and cannot be appealed.
Egypt has been without parliament since the same court dissolved the setting legislature in 2012, citing unconstitutional articles in the electoral law.
In an immediate response to Sunday's verdict, the High Elections Commission (HEC) announced postponing the two-phase parliamentary polls, originally slated to kick off on March 22.
"The [constituency] law would be referred back to the concerned government committee for amendment before being presented to President al-Sisi for approval," HEC spokesman Omar Marwan said.
Al-Sisi, who is currently visiting Saudi Arabia, has ordered the government to make the necessary amendments within one month.
He also stressed that all necessary legal procedures should be taken to avoid further vote delays, according to a presidency statement.
Egyptians were expected to elect 540 parliament members over two phases, with the first taking place on March 22 and 23 and the second running from April 26 to 27.
According to the constitution, 27 members are directly appointed by the president.
The parliamentary elections are the final milestone of a transitional roadmap unveiled in mid-2013 following the military ouster of Mohamed Morsi – Egypt's first freely elected president.
The roadmap included a constitutional referendum and a presidential poll, both of which had already been conducted.
Sisi urges speedy amendment to electoral law
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the speedy amendment of an electoral law that the country's top court found unconstitutional earlier Sunday, leading to the postponement of the polls.
"Al-Sisi ordered the government to make the necessary amendments to the electoral law so it becomes in line with the constitution and the verdict of the Supreme Constitutional Court," read a statement from Egyptian presidency.
The president also stressed that all necessary legal procedures should be carried out to avoid further delays to the parliamentary elections, the release said.
Earlier Sunday, Egypt's High Elections Commission (HEC) announced the postponement of the parliamentary polls – originally slated to kick off on March 21 – after the country's top court deemed as unconstitutional an article in the electoral law.
In its ruling, the Supreme Constitutional Court struck down article three of a law which defines constituencies nationwide. The court's rulings are binding to the state and cannot be appealed.
"The law would be referred again to the government committee tasked with drafting the law for amendment before it would be presented to President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi for approval," Marawan said.
A judicial body affiliated to the court had made the same recommendation earlier last month.
Last week, Egypt's electoral commission said it would have to postpone the parliamentary polls if the constitutional court deemed the election laws unconstitutional.
The parliamentary vote will be the last phase of an army-imposed "roadmap" unveiled in mid-2013 following the ouster of Mohamed Morsi – Egypt's first freely elected president – by the military.
The roadmap also included a constitutional referendum and a presidential poll, both of which were conducted last year.
