The Supreme Constitutional Court's general assembly said it would be reviewing petitions calling for reversing the president's decision – Photo by Hassan Ibrahim The Supreme Constitutional Court released a statement on Monday condemning President Mohamed Morsy's presidential decree overruling its decision to dissolve the lower house of parliament. “The Supreme Constitutional Court's decisions are binding to all institutions of state," said the statement which came after a meeting of the court's general assembly. The meeting comes after Morsy issued a decree yesterday calling for the People's Assembly to convene and cancelled the decision to dissolve the legislative body. “The Supreme Constitutional Court will continue to assume its duties as outlined in the constitution, the main duty of which is to act as the only judicial oversight on the constitutionality of laws. The court's laws state that its verdicts are final and cannot be appealed, and that these verdicts are binding to all institutions of state and all persons," said the statement. The court has been accused of bias as most of its judges were appointed by former President Hosni Mubarak. The judges denied the court had any bias or political affiliation to any specific party. “The Supreme Constitutional Court is not a side in any political conflicts that happen between political groups and is unconcerned with the actions of any of these groups. It only assumes its sacred duty of protecting constitutional texts from any attacks or violations," the statement read. several citizens and political figures have filed cases against the president's decision with the court, arguing Morsy had usurped the official court ruling and the law, a power he does not have. “Some of the plaintiffs have called for the immediate stopping of the president's decision and the continuation of applying the court's ruling," it said. The statement concluded with the court declaring that it would address these cases itself as soon as possible. “In accordance with article 50 of the Supreme Constitutional Court law, the court itself is only body with the right to handle cases related to the application of its verdicts, and as per the law, the court will review the cases calling for the execution of its verdict in a legal manner."
