The ruling military council has referred legislative amendments to the political rights law to the Supreme Constitutional Court to determine whether the changes are constitutional.
State-run newspaper Al-Ahram reported the news on its website Thursday, but did not give further details.
Last week, Parliament approved amendments to the law which would bar those who served in top posts under President Hosni Mubarak from running for office, in response to proposals submitted by a number of MPs.
With the amendments, the proposed law would strip the political rights from anyone who served as vice president or prime minister under Mubarak during the 10-year period before he resigned on 11 February 2011. This would also apply to anyone who served as president or secretary general of Mubarak's now-dissolved National Democratic Party or as members in its general or policy secretariats.
The amendments would prevent such figures from exercising their political rights until 10 years after Mubarak’s resignation.
Justice Minister Adel Abdel Hamid has expressed his opposition to the law, explaining that banning someone from practicing his or her political rights requires a court ruling, and hence the proposed law is unconstitutional.
In a People’s Assembly’s session on 10 April, the minister said he expects the Supreme Constitutional Court to deem the amendments unconstitutional because they do not accord with the provisions in the Constitutional Declaration.
The amendments, which were submitted by Wasat Party MP Essam Sultan, primarily aimed to bar former Vice President Omar Suleiman from running for president in the upcoming election.
Since the Presidential Elections Commission disqualified Suleiman from running on Tuesday, the only candidate who would be removed from the race if the legislation becomes law is former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq.
