The advisory council to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has suggested holding the election for Egypt's upper house of parliament, the Shura Council, earlier than its scheduled date in order to shorten the transition period. On 25 September, the SCAF issued a constitutional declaration stating that Shura Council elections will be held over three stages, with the first beginning on 29 January 2012 and the run-off for the third phase ending on 11 March 2012. The new council should hold its first session on 24 March 2012, according to the declaration. "Changing the date for the Shura Council election would shorten the transition one whole month," Mohamed al-Kholy, spokesperson for the advisory council, said. “The first joint parliamentary session will be held at the end of February instead of the end of March." At a press conference on Saturday, Kholy added that shortening the interim period is a step toward achieving stability, which Egyptians across the political spectrum want. "Shortening the transition is a good step that does not require constitutional amendments," according to Sherif Zahran, assistant secretary general for the advisory council. Meanwhile, Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the High Judicial Elections Commission, claims that cutting the transitional period would “focus our efforts and reduce expenditure,” particularly as the judiciary has proven itself capable of handling the electoral process. Asked about members of the advisory council who resigned over recent clashes between the military and protesters, Kholy said, “Those members who have resigned will not be invited back," but he added that the door is open for them to return. New members have been appointed to the council, he said, including Mona Makram Ebeid, a political science professor at the American University in Cairo; Sekina Fouad, a journalist; and Osama al-Ghazaly Harb, a founder of the Democratic Front Party. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
