Egypt to hold parliamentary vote in about 6 months

Cairo: Egypt will hold new parliamentary elections once amendments to its suspended constitution are approved in a referendum, the interim head of state decreed on Monday, setting out a timeframe that could see a legislative vote in about six months.

A presidential election would be called once the new legislative chamber convenes, the decree said. It set a four-and-a-half month timeframe for amendments to the country's controversial, Islamist-tinged constitution that was passed into law in December.

That constitution was suspended last week when the army removed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi from power following mass protests against his rule.