Egypt govt. dissolves local councils

The builling of the former ruling National Democratic Party in Egypt (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/187437.html

The Egyptian government has dissolved all of the country's local councils for being dominated by officials close to the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak.

In a meeting on Sunday, the council of ministers took the move to abide by a ruling by Cairo's Supreme Administrative Court that was issued on June 28, AFP reported.

"The government has decided to endorse the court's ruling to dissolve the municipal councils," a caption broadcast on state television said.

The court ruling came after complaints were lodged, claiming the local councils were corrupt and under the control and influence of members of former ruling party, the National Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP was dissolved following the country's historic revolution.

Local councils have been widely criticized for their role in promoting corruption even after the ouster of Mubarak.

At the last municipal elections in 2008, the NDP took almost 92% of the vote that was widely seen as rigged in favor of the NDP.

The government did not propose a date for new municipal elections.

In Egypt, local councils can only be dissolved by judicial order, and elections must take place within 60 days, according to an Egyptian official.