Ten important facts about State Council’s new head

CAIRO – 19 July 2017: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi issued a presidential decree on Wednesday appointing senior court counsel Ahmed Abu el Azm as the head of the State Council, replacing Mahmoud Masood, whose term ended Wednesday.

Being one of the seven most senior judges, Azm’s appointment came in accordance with the principle of appointment by absolute seniority in Egypt’s judicial bodies as enshrined in the new judicial bodies law.

The State Council is an independent judicial body that is responsible for administrative disputes between individuals and governing bodies in the state and canceling governmental decisions and compensation.

Here are the most important facts about the newly-appointed head of the state council.

1- Full name: Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ibrahim Abu el Azm

2- Date of birth: September 15, 1949

3- He obtained a bachelor degree in law in 1971 with a general estimation of “very good.” He also received a postgraduate degree in administrative sciences in May 1973 from Cairo University.

4- He chaired the Legislative Section of the Council. During his term, he reviewed a set of the important laws, inducing the new labor law, the civil service law and its executive regulations, the new investment law, the sports law and demonstration law amendments.

5- Azm worked in the State Council's respective departments, including fatwa departments and the Administrative Court.

6- He was a member of the Supreme Committee for Legislative Reform, chaired by the Prime Minister.

7- He has been assigned legal advisor to a number of bodies, including the Ministry of Agriculture.

8- Azm headed one of the Administrative Court’s exclusive jurisdictions, settling administrative disputes.

9- Azm called for reconsidering “ineffective” laws as well as the controversial article 10 of the new protest law that allows security forces to cancel any protests deemed as a security threat or involving a violation of the law.

10- He issued some important administrative rulings including a court ruling stipulating that members of the Parliament must have “good reputation,” as well as approving the dissolution of the Egyptian Football Association’s board in April.