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| Court ruling jeopardises Egypt parliamentary elections | Court ruling jeopardises Egypt parliamentary elections |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Egypt's Supreme Court has ruled part of an election law unconstitutional, possibly delaying parliamentary polls which begin this month. | Egypt's Supreme Court has ruled part of an election law unconstitutional, possibly delaying parliamentary polls which begin this month. |
| The ruling referred to sections of the law on division of electoral districts. | The ruling referred to sections of the law on division of electoral districts. |
| Egypt has been without its main parliament chamber since 2012 when it was dissolved by a court ruling. | Egypt has been without its main parliament chamber since 2012 when it was dissolved by a court ruling. |
| The elections are the final step of a transitional roadmap outlined by the military in July 2013 after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi. | The elections are the final step of a transitional roadmap outlined by the military in July 2013 after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi. |
| They are scheduled to be held several stages, starting 22-23 March. | |
| Former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was elected president in May 2014. | Former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was elected president in May 2014. |
| Mr Sisi approved a constituencies law in December creating 567 parliamentary seats, 420 of which would be contested by individual candidates, 120 allocated according to party lists and 27 assigned by the president. | |
| His supporters are expected to dominate the new chamber. | |
| But lawyers who appealed against the law told AFP news agency that in its current form it did not adequately represent the electorate. | |
| A statement from the Higher Electoral Commission is expected but an official told the private CBC channel that the vote would be delayed until it had reviewed the law. | |
| The administrative court, which rules on matters of state, is expected to rule on delaying the elections later this month. | |
| Crackdown on Islamists | |
| The first two steps of the roadmap were the adoption of a new constitution in January 2014 and Mr Sisi's election. | |
| The previous House of Representatives was dominated by supporters of Mr Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, but since his overthrow the military has launched a crackdown on the Islamist movement that has left more than 1,500 people dead and more than 16,000 in detention. | |
| Its powers were transferred to the consultative Shura Council pending fresh elections, but Mr Morsi was ousted before they could be held. | |
| The Shura Council was then dissolved by the interim authorities before the new constitution did away with it altogether. Since then, the president has held all legislative powers. |