CAIRO: The Cairo Administrative Court annulled Monday Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab’s decision concerning the three election constituencies in Qena and Cairo, and stated that a medical check for Parliamentary candidates is a obligatory.
According to the legal grounds of the court ruling, Mahlab’s July decision is unconstitutional as only the President or the High Elections Commission (HEC) are the authorities responsible for passing laws concerning the election process.
Lawyer Shehata Mohamed Shehata in Upper Egypt’s Qena filed in July a lawsuit against Mahlab and the HEC over the ministerial decision, saying the decision contradicts with the Presidential decree N. 202 of 2014 on distributing electoral districts.
Per presidential decree, the seventh electoral district in Cairo shall be allocated two seats in the new House of Representatives; meanwhile Mahlab’s decision allocated only one seat for the constituency.
As for Qena seats, the presidential decree allocated six seats in two constitutes, three for each; however, the cabinet’s decision allocated four seats to the firs district and two of the second.
Legal experts said that the court ruling will not affect the whole election process as the HEC could reopen nomination window for the candidates in the three constituencies, Youm7 reported.
The same court also stated Monday that any parliamentary candidate shall undergo a medical check once he has run for elections.
The HEC previously stated that a candidate who underwent a medical check for the last parliamentary elections, is not obligated to provide a medical check report during 2015 elections.
The elections were scheduled to be held in March; however, it was adjourned per a court ruling. The election will be held in two phases; the first round beginning Oct. 17 and 18 for expatriates who were born in the 10 governorates of Giza, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Asyut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena , Luxor, Aswan, Red Sea, Alexandria, Beheira, and Marsa Matrouh. Meanwhile the Egyptians inside their country will vote on Oct. 18 and 19 in these governorates.
The expats in the second phase will cast their votes Nov. 21 and 22, while domestic Egyptians will vote on Nov. 22 and 23. The second phase includes governorates of Cairo, and Qalyobia, Dakahlia, Menoufia, Gharbia, Kafr El-Sheikh, al-Sharqia, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, North Sinai, and South Sinai,
Run-off elections of the first phase will be carried out Oct. 26 and 27 for expats and Oct. 27 and 28 inside Egypt.
Meanwhile, run-offs in the second round will be held Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 for expats and Dec. 1 and 2 for Egyptians inside the country.