Egypt Court Formally Delays Parliamentary Election

Egypt's administrative court formally delayed Tuesday this month's parliamentary election, after the electoral commission announced it would not be held on time due to legal obstacles.

The constitutional court ruled Sunday that part of the electoral law was unconstitutional, prompting the electoral commission to begin preparing a new timetable for the vote, which had been due to start on March 21.

The administrative court ruled to "cancel the call for elections in March," the official MENA news agency reported.

That was a formality in postponing the vote before the law is redrafted and approved by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Lawyers who appealed against the law said it did not divide districts in a way that would adequately represent voters.

The election would be the first for parliament since then army chief Sisi overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

After Morsi's ouster, Sisi announced plans for a new constitution, to be followed by presidential and parliamentary elections.

A new charter was adopted in January 2014 and Sisi was elected president in May.