Egypt court challenges President Mursi's reopening of parliament

Cairo, 09 Jul – (ANA) - Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi's order to reconvene parliament has been rejected by the highest court, which says its ruling that led to the assembly's dissolution is binding. The speaker of the dissolved house has already responded to Mr Mursi's decree, calling on MPs to meet on Tuesday. Army units outside parliament have left and some MPs have gone in. The decision by Mr Mursi, whose Muslim Brotherhood has most seats, sets up a potential showdown with the military. However the situation is unclear as Egyptians elected Mr Mursi without a constitution and without his powers being defined.

Because parliament has been dissolved, he was sworn in before the constitutional court rather than before MPs.

It was the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) that made the decision to dissolve parliament in June, after Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that part of the election for parliament was unconstitutional.

Despite the apparent tensions, the president and Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads Scaf, appeared together at a military cadet graduation ceremony on Monday.

Parliament speaker Saad al-Katatni, also a member of the Brotherhood, said MPs should return for a session of parliament on Tuesday afternoon. (ANA)

FA/ANA/09 July 2012-------------