Boycott Blocks Constitutional Council's Ruling on Parliament Extension Law

Three judges boycotted a meeting of the Constitutional Council for the second day in a row on Wednesday, depriving the 10-member body of the quorum needed to rule on petitions filed against the extension of parliament's mandate.

Despite the boycott, the present members agreed to hold open-ended meetings starting Tuesday to rule on the challenges against the legislature's 17-month extension.

The judges, two Shiites and a Druze, had on Tuesday also failed to attend the meeting that was aimed at discussing a report drafted by the council's president, Judge Issam Suleiman, on the petitions filed by President Michel Suleiman and the Change and Reform bloc earlier this month to challenge the extension of parliament’s four-year term.

Lawmakers extended their mandate end of May by pushing the parliamentary elections to November 2014.

The move came as a result of the failure of the rival parties to agree on a new law to govern the polls and amid the rejection of the implementation of the 1960 law that was used in the 2009 elections.

Speaker Nabih Berri described the boycott as an attempt to prevent strife.

Several lawmakers quoted Berri as saying during the weekly meeting with MPs that the stance of the three judges stems from “their commitment to the constitution and their keenness to avoid strife.”

The speaker said on several occasions that it was impossible to hold the elections amid the current security situation in the country.

The absence of the three judges was a clear sign of political interference and an attempt by several officials to prevent the council from issuing a decision on the petitions.

The approval or the rejection of the challenges requires the go-ahead of seven out of the council's half-Christian half-Muslim members. Plus the body cannot vote without a quorum of eight members.

The lack of quorum would make the 17-month extension law valid after the end of parliament's mandate on June 20.