Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb has announced parliamentary elections are poised to commence before mid-June, while his talks with political parties continue. Mehleb said in a phone call with the satellite channel Al-Nahar on Monday that the elections "will start before [the holy month of] Ramadan". The Islamic calendar month will begin on 18 June. "The government is so serious about proceeding with the elections and in the nearest possible date," the prime minister added. Meanwhile, Mehleb met Thursday with a group of representatives from 11 political parties to discuss amendments to the electoral districts law. Representatives at the meeting included the Al-Wafd Party, the Free Egyptians, the Conference and the Egypt Social Democratic Parties, as well as the Egypt National Movement, among others. The Tuesday meeting saw attendance from representatives of the Al-Istiqlal Current, the Equity and Development party, and the Al-Geel party among others, according to state media. In March, the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) ruled the Electoral Districts Law unconstitutional, resulting in the postponement of parliamentary elections until the questioned law is amended. While the court announced that Article 3 of the law as unconstitutional, it refused other appeals on the law defining political rights issued ahead of the presidential elections last May. It also refused appeals on the law organising the establishment of the parliament. Both laws were passed by former Interim President Adly Mansour. "I don't think there is a possibility for holding elections before Ramadan," deputy head of the Conservatives party, Yasser Kasseb, told Daily News Egypt. Kasseb, who is also head of the Regional Centre for Research and Consultancies (RCRC), a research centre specialising in parliamentary developments, also said there are many procedures still in the pipeline before holding the vote. It will be hard to conduct them in time before mid-June, he added. "The government will have to look for constitutional impunity for the amended law," Kasseb said. He added there is still ongoing dialogue about the law. The government must seek the Supreme Constitutional Court's approval of the amendments as well as the procedures to open the door for candidates and allow them time to campaign before the people's vote.
