New Egyptian constitution to be ready by November

Penned by committee appointed by interim president, charter to replace document approved last year by Islamist-dominated panel

CAIRO — The spokesman for a panel tasked with amending Egypt’s Islamist-backed constitution says it will complete its work by early November.

The spokesman, Mohammed Salmawy, says committees have approved about a third of the charter, mostly non-controversial clauses on basic freedoms.

The panel was appointed by interim President Adly Mansour, who succeeded Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi after the latter’s ouster in a popularly backed coup in July.

The new charter will replace one adopted in a referendum in December after an Islamist-dominated panel approved it in an all-night session. That constitution is widely seen to place restrictions on freedoms of expression and to give clerics a say over legislation.

The adoption of a new constitution or amendments to the charter adopted last year will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections.