By Agencies
CAIRO: A Cairo court on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of municipal councils, whose representatives were elected under the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, a judicial official told AFP.
Egypt’s “Supreme Administrative Court has ordered the dissolution of the municipal councils following several lawsuits accusing the councilors of belonging to (Mubarak’s) National Democratic Party,” which is now dissolved, the official said.
The court decision was announced by presiding judge Kamal El-Lamei. Members of the councils were chosen in 2008 in elections said to be widely rigged in favor of the former regime. Mubarak’s NDP took almost 99 percent of the vote on a tiny turnout.
The court decision can still be appealed.
Pro-democracy activists who launched the spectacular uprising that ended Mubarak’s 30-year grip on power have been pressing for the dissolution of the municipal councils which they say are deeply corrupt. Many have warned the municipal councils could be used to bolster support for members of the former regime in upcoming parliamentary elections.
A major rally is planned next week to push for the municipal councils to be abolished, among other things.
