Egypt's Constitutional Court invalidates Senate

On June 2, the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) ruled to invalidate the Shura Council (ie the Senate) and the Constituent Assembly, the body that drafts the country's constitution.

However, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi announced that the Shura Council will retain legislative power until a new parliament is elected.

President Mohamed Morsi. (Photo: AFP)

The SCC ruling declared both the law on the election of independent members of the Shura Council and the law regulating the organizational structure of the Constituent Assembly unconstitutional.

In addition, the SCC also invalidated the Emergency Law on the grounds that the law grants the President many exceptional powers that can be used in a state of emergency.

The above verdicts were made by the SCC amid tight security outside the court due to concerns about escalating tensions between President Morsi's supporters and the opposition.

The current Shura Council has a majority of Muslim members and has only been operating temporarily after the country's parliament was dissolved last year following a ruling by the SCC./.

According to VNA - DT