Cairo: An official statement said Monday that President Mohammed Mursi has ordered Parliament`s upper chamber to convene on Wednesday.
The statement comes a day after Mursi appointed 90 members to the Islamist-dominated Shura Council. The 90 include at least 30 Islamists and six minority Christians. The council has a total of 270 members, two-thirds of them elected.
The toothless body was elected last winter by less than 10 percent of the 51 million eligible voters. It will assume legislative powers until a lower chamber is elected within the next two months.
Mursi has had legislative powers since the lower chamber was dissolved by a court in June.
The council`s empowerment is provided for in a new constitution passed in a referendum over the past two weekends, according to unofficial results.
PTI