Egyptian court suspends constitution panel

A Cairo court said on Tuesday it had suspended an Islamist-dominated commission that had been tasked with drafting Egypt's new constitution. The court, which deals with administrative issues, did not explain the reasons for its decision which was announced after lawyers and liberal political parties filed a complaint accusing the Islamist-headed parliament, which formed the panel, of having abused its powers. Several lawsuits had demanded Cairo's Administrative Court block the decision to form the panel as it did not reflect the diversity of Egyptian society. They said women, young people and minorities were under-represented. Islamists from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafist Nour party, which dominate parliament, have a near-majority. Liberals and secularists fear some of them would like to amend the constitution so that it follows the principles of Islamic law more strictly. The new document will also determine the rights of Egypt's religious and ethnic minority groups and the balance of power between the president - previously the supreme authority - and parliament. Once the panel has produced a draft, it will be put to a referendum. It had been hoped that would take place before the presidential election in May