Egypt court rejects decree by Morsi to reinstate parliament

“All the rulings and decisions of the Supreme Constitutional Court are final and not subject to appeal ... and are binding for all state institutions,” the court said in a statement.

This came after Morsi decided to order back the Islamist-led lower house of parliament a month after the court found certain articles in the law on parliamentary elections to be invalid, annulling the house.

The powerful Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which was running the country after Hosni Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising last year, had dissolved parliament based on the ruling.

The court's move could spark a confrontation between Morsi, who stepped down from the Brotherhood when he was sworn in last month, and the SCAF as well as the judiciary.

However, the court stressed that it was “not a part of any political conflict... but the limit of its sacred duty is the protection of the texts of the constitution.”

Its statement came hours after parliament speaker Saad al-Katatni invited the lower house to convene at 2:00 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Tuesday, following the presidential decision.

It was not clear how the court's ruling would be enforced.

Morsi's decree also stipulates the organization of new parliamentary elections two months after the approval by referendum of the country's new constitution and the adoption of a new law regulating parliament.

The presidential decision has also heightened tensions with the military, although both Morsi and Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi who heads the SCAF appeared together at a military cadet graduation ceremony on Monday.

Morsi's decision caused a “political earthquake,” some media reported on Monday, sparking a flurry of meetings including by the SCAF and the Constitutional Court.

“Morsi says to SCAF: Checkmate,” read the headline of the independent daily Al-Watan, as Al-Tahrir, another daily, declared “Morsi defeats SCAF.”

His move also angered some secular parties, which had slammed the Muslim Brotherhood's monopolisation of power since the start of the uprising.

“In any decent and democratic country, a president cannot disrespect the judiciary,” said Rifaat al-Said, the head of the leftist Al-Tagammu party.

“Whether Morsi likes it or not, he must respect the judiciary's decisions,” he told state television.

Said said a march to parliament would be organised later on Monday, and stressed that “several parties will boycott parliament's sessions.”

The military dissolved parliament last month after Egypt's top court made its controversial ruling, a day before the second round of the presidential poll that saw Morsi become Egypt's first democratically elected head of state.

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