MP Mahmoud al-Khodeiry, head of Parliament’s legislative committee, has said that the article in the Constitutional Declaration regulating the powers and immunity of the Presidential Elections Commission will not be changed.
Some MPs and politicians have expressed concerns about the immunity granted to the commission, worrying that none of its decisions will be challengeable and that this will open the door for corruption and vote-rigging.
The controversial provision is Article 28 of the Constitutional Declaration, which established a judicial committee called the Presidential Elections Commission that will supervise the presidential election.
According to the article, “The commission’s decisions will be final and carry the force of law, and will not be subject to objections from any party, in the same manner as it is forbidden for the decisions to be stopped or canceled.”
Khodeiry told Al-Masry Al-Youm that people voted for the article in the March referendum of last year and any amendments of the article would require another referendum.
Tahani al-Gebaly, vice president of the Supreme Constitutional Court, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the decisions made by the commission can still be challenged in court, despite the article.
She went on to criticize those who are against that article. “It was approved in a referendum and cannot be amended except with another referendum.”
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
