Court of Cassation will abide by law of judicial authority: VP

CAIRO - 28 April 2017: Judges will abide by the newly-passed law of Electing Heads of Judicial Authorities if it comes into force, Vice President of the Court of Cassation Adel El-Shorbagy said Thursday.

The new law, which was passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, caused uproar between judges and lawmakers, with judges saying it gives the president more power to appoint the heads of Egypt’s supreme judicial authorities.

Per the new law, the president has the right to appoint the heads of the Court of Cassation, the Administrative Control Authority (ACA), the State Council and the State Lawsuits Authority. The judicial authority’s legal norm has been for the judiciary body’s council to elect the oldest appointed judge as president.

Shorbagy added that the president is the “best man to make a decision” concerning the law.

According to Egyptian legal procedures concerning passing any law, the parliament shall refer the approved bill to the president for ratification, and then the law comes in to force by the time it has been published in the official newspaper.