Committee to Amend the Constitution to Announce Agreed Amendments

Egypt’s constitutional amendment committee said it has almost completed its task to amend a number of controversial articles in the country’s Constitution, official MENA news agency reported.

The committee, which was formed by Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, is expected to complete its mission within a few days, the committee’s chairman Tarek al-Bishri said in a statement following its third session.

The amended articles are: Article 76 on the nomination for presidential elections, Article 77 concerning the term of the presidency, Article 88 relating to judicial overseeing of the elections, Article 93 states that only parliament can rule on the eligibility of its members, Article 189 on the mechanisms to amend the Constitution, and Article 179 allows the president to transfer any case concerning "terror" to any judicial body, which gives him the right to use military courts.

The committee will also amend a number of complementary laws, namely the political rights law and the People’s Assembly and Shura Council laws on the electoral process, he added.

Al-Bishri indicated that he would announce  what has been achieved so far.