Egypt's new constitution may be ready by November

A 50-member panel tasked with amending Egypt's Islamist-tilted constitution will complete its work by early November, wrapping up the first phase of a road map announced by the country's military chief when he ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, a spokesman for the body said Sunday.

Mohammed Salmawy said the panel already has approved about a third of the charter, mostly non-controversial clauses on basic freedoms. He said members were leaning in favor of permanently removing the upper chamber of parliament known as the Shura Council.

The panel has yet to decide on proposals that the charter should be adopted by a minimum of 75 percent of the vote when it is put to a nationwide referendum, rather than a simple majority as has been the custom in past referendums, he added. It was also leaning toward supporting the cancellation of all military trials for civilians.

The Shura Council has long been chided as a toothless talking shop, but Morsi elevated it to a legislative body when the nation's highest court dissolved the lower and more important chamber shortly before he took office on June 30 last year. The last Shura Council was dominated by Islamists and elected by less than 10 percent of registered voters. It was dissolved shortly after Morsi's ouster.

The constitutional panel was appointed by interim President Adly Mansour, who succeeded Morsi after the latter's ouster in a popularly backed military coup in July. Morsi was Egypt's first freely elected president but his removal came after days of street protests by millions demanding he resign.