CAIRO — An Egyptian court threw the timetable for parliamentary elections into confusion Wednesday, ordering the cancelation of President Mohamed Morsi's decree calling the vote and forcing a likely delay to polls due to start in April. The Administrative Court's ruling deepened Egypt's political uncertainty at a time of social unrest and economic crisis, with the nation's foreign currency reserves at critically low levels and the budget deficit soaring. The court said it had referred Egypt's amended electoral law, under which the lower house polls are due to be held, to the Supreme Constitutional Court for review. Egypt has been torn by political confusion and strife since the 2011 uprising that deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Many opposition parties had announced they would boycott the vote, which had been due to be held in four stages from April 22 until late June. The presidency will appeal the court's decision, legal advisor Mohamed Gadallah said. “The presidency respects the administrative court's decision and will stop the call for parliamentary elections. We are in a democratic system that respects the rule of law,” he said Wednesday. “Having said that, there will be an appeal of the court's decision filed by the State Judiciary Authority which represents the presidency and the government.” The court ruling cameas the government said it wants to resume talks with the International Monetary Fund on a $4.8 billion loan to shore up Egypt's finances. “It is now likely that elections will be postponed, extending political uncertainties and further delaying a possible IMF deal at a time when restoring confidence in the economy is needed to avert a potential economic crisis,” said Farouk Soussa, chief economist at Citi in Dubai. The Freedom and Justice Party, the party of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, said in a statement it respected the court's decision. The court made its ruling on technical grounds, saying in a statement that the Shoura Council, Egypt's upper house of parliament, had not returned the amended electoral law to the Supreme Constitutional Court for final review before passing it. Egyptian courts have made a number of rulings that have gone against Morsi and his ruling Muslim Brotherhood. The previous Islamist-dominated lower house was dissolved by a court ruling that struck down the original electoral law under which the chamber had been elected. Violence has frequently flared in Egyptian cities, notably late last year over a decree in which Morsi temporarily gave himself sweeping powers. Youths fought police in the Suez Canal city of Port Said for a fourth day Wednesday. Security officials said the head of security in Port Said has been sacked. Mohsen Radi was relieved of his duties and transferred to the prison services department in Cairo “in response to demands by residents and to help calm the situation,” one of the officials said. — Agencies
