Committee suggests amendments in Egyptian constitution

RaniaCairo, Feb 26 (PTI) The committee responsible forsuggesting amendments to the Egyptian constitution todayproposed to limit the Presidential term and the use ofemergency laws, two of the key demands of the pro-democracyuprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak from office.

The committee said it presented its report the SupremeMilitary Council which includes suggested amendments to elevenarticles of the constitution.

By virtue of the amendments the presidential termwill be limited to four years and the president will beallowed to serve two terms only. The amendments alsostipulated that a state of emergency should not be declared inthe country until it is approved by the parliament.

Emergency shall last six months at most and a publicreferendum shall be held to extend it.

"After serving for two terms, the president shall nothave the right to run in the presidential election again andforever," the committee''s chairman Tarek al-Bishry said.

The new proposed amendments also sets a minimum agefor the presidential candidate of 40 years with no maximumlimit.

Other conditions state that any Egyptian presidentshould have Egyptian parents, should hold no other nationalityand should not be married to a non-Egyptian.

The committee defined three ways for nomination ofpresidential candidates: The candidate shall obtain theapproval of at least 30 members of the People''s Assembly, thesecond way for the candidate to obtain the approval of atleast 30,000 citizens from 15 governorates and at least 1,000citizens from each, or any of the existing parties with atleast one elected MP in either house can nominate one of itsmembers for the presidency.

The new amendments obligate the elected presidentto appoint a vice-president within 60 days since taking post.

Articles related to anti-terrorism laws have beenannulled completely while presidential and parliamentaryelections will be subject to pure judicial supervisionaccording to the new amendments.