Egyptian presidential election to start May 23

Egypt’s presidential election must start as scheduled on May 23, the country’s highest administrative court said today in Cairo.

The Supreme Administrative Court made the ruling, overturning a lower-court decision that had suspended procedures for the vote.

The court also upheld the right of the Election Commission to challenge a law barring some officials from former President Hosni Mubarak’s administration from running for the presidency. The decision went against a lower court’s ruling that the election panel had exceeded its authority by referring the law to the Constitutional Court.

Mubarak was forced from office in February 2011 following pro-democracy protests.

The Muslim Brotherhood, whose top candidate was banned from the presidential ballot, protested a decision by the Election Commission to allow Mubarak’s last prime minister, Ahmed Shafik, to enter the race.

The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, the largest in parliament, has complained that the elected legislature has been undercut by the ruling military council, its appointed government and the Election Commission.