Report: Parliamentary Polls Threatened by Constitutional Council Controversy

Doubts are looming over whether the constitutional council that settles parliamentary election disputes and laws is constitutional or not, media reports said on Monday.

According to al-Akhbar newspaper, the tenure of five members of the current constitutional council ended in June last year and the parliament and cabinet, which equally appoint the 10 members of the council, didn't elect new members to replace them.

The members of the council are appointed for six non-renewable years, however, 5 of the members were appointed in 2009 to fill the vacant posts.

The five members' tenure is three non-renewable years .

Sources in the council told the newspaper that the parliament and the cabinet didn't reply to a request sent by the council before its tenure ended, warning that the failure to appoint the five members will lead to a vacuum.

The parliament canceled last year article four of the council's by-laws, which states that the members of the current council, whose term ended, carry out their tasks until their replacements are appointed.

The newspaper quoted analysts as saying that the upcoming parliamentary elections cannot be held if the council was unconstitutional, which will prompt a new debate between the foes.

The legality of the constitutional council is another obstacle facing the upcoming parliamentary elections as political foes are bickering over the electoral law that will be adopted during the polls.

The rival parties are yet to agree on a draft law after the adoption of the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal by the joint parliamentary committees, which drew a sharp debate among the opposition's faction and with rival coalitions.