CAIRO - Differences of opinion are being heard and divisions felt in the nation's legal circles over the new Judicial Authority Law, due to be drafted and submitted to the ruling military council soon. In their verbal jousting, the judges haven't been locking horns over the new law itself, but over the committee of judges that is going to draft it, whose members have been selected by the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, Hossam Gheriani, himself. Gheriani was at the centre of a storm at a meeting of the Judges' Club in Alexandria, because of the selection he has made. Some judges have called the committee unrepresentative, while others have threatened not to co-operate with it in making the new law, which should get the approval of the nation's judges before being submitted to the military council. "The committee can only represent you," Alexandria Judges' Club Chairman Ezzat Agwa told Gheriani, the nation's most senior judge, at the meeting in Alexandria. The Chairman of Egypt's Judges' Club, Ahmed el-Zind, agreed. He said that the members of the new committee are not known to many judges nationwide, which means it is unqualified for writing the new law, which will regulate the work of the judges for years to come. Opposition to the judicial establishment has been rife since the popular uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February. In their demonstrations and shows of anger, Egyptians have repeatedly called for purging the judicial establishment, with the aim of making the nation's judges independent, as they ought to be. This opposition and these calls seemed to be on the mind of Gheriani, who outlined in the meeting the importance of taking swift action to give the judges more independence. He said he could have written the new law himself without referring to the judges, adding that he preferred to appoint a new committee, comprising Egypt's most experienced judges, to do the job, before the law is submitted to the judges for approval. "The revolution has done away with the executive power of our country," Gheriani said. "There have been calls for purging the judiciary and making it more independent. This is why we should quickly and positively respond to these demands.” Even with this, some of the judges who pricked up their ears in interest were not convinced. Some of them said a survey should be made to know what the judges think of the new committee. Others were supportive, but stressed the importance of making a thorough study of the law once it is ready. "There is no need to hurry," said one of the judges.
