Egypt court upholds ruling to suspend elections

Judges decide process leading to scheduled national vote was illegal

21 April 2013, 5:56 pm

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Egyptian protesters clash near a bus belonging to Muslim Brotherhood supporters burns after it was reportedly set alight by anti- government protesters in Cairo, Egypt, Friday (photo credit: Mostafa Elshemy/AP)

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s state news agency said that a government legal agency representing President Mohammed Morsi has lost an appeal to reverse a court-ordered suspension of parliamentary elections.

MENA reported Sunday that the ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court to uphold the suspension was final. The polls had been set to begin this month.

Egyptian State Lawsuits Authority had filed the appeal after a lower court ruled in early March that the law governing the elections was illegal and that its passage by the Islamist-dominated temporary parliament was procedurally improper.

The president’s Muslim Brotherhood party was pushing to hold elections for the law-making body now, saying it is essential for stability and a transition to democracy.

The opposition had expressed concerns, however, that the election law allowed for gerrymandering by the Brotherhood-dominated parliament.