Egypt starts fast-track constitution vote The controversial Islamist-dominated panel writing Egypt's new constitution voted on the final draft of the charter, the day after a surprise announcement to bring it forward by two months ahead of a new deadline. The fast track vote began as Mohamed Morsi, the president, was preparing to address the country amid rising tensions prompted by his decision last week to award himself sweeping powers. Voting on the constitution took place despite a walkout earlier this month by 25 liberal and Christian members of the panel, who complained that their concerns about the document were being dismissed. At the start of the voting on Thursday, back-up members - mostly Islamists - were drafted in to replace 11 of those who were absent. Each of the charter's 234 articles was voted on individually, with some panel members suggesting last minute changes in wording. Once adopted the charter can be put to a referendum after two weeks. The vote comes amid a confrontation between Mr Morsi and the judiciary after his decree placed his decisions above the law. The president's supporters say obstructionist judges on the constitutional court were plotting to torpedo Egypt's democratic transition under an lslamist government. The court disbanded an Islamist-dominated parliament earlier this year and was considering a case against the panel drafting the charter. Mr Morsi's decree has prompted huge demonstrations by hundreds of thousands of opponents, who charge that he has assumed dictatorial powers. More demonstrations are planned for the weekend and there are fears violence could erupt as both Islamists and their opponents try to demonstrate strength. Voting on the charter was brought forward after the Constitutional Court issued a defiant statement on Wednesday saying it would not be intimidated by the president's actions and would still rule on the legality of the panel. Most courts in the country are on strike. The document has been at the heart of the political disputes in Egypt since the revolution, with liberals fearing that Islamists would use their majority on the panel to impose restrictions on freedoms. The charter that the panel has drafted reflects a conservative viewpoint, with articles shielding "the prophets" from criticism and asking the state to "sponsor" morality and promote the "the true nature of the Egyptian family." Although the document retains language from Egypt's previous charters making "the principles of Islamic law" the main source of legislation, it introduces a new article defining the word "principles" which, critics say, will allow hardliners to draw on an othordox cannon of jurisprudence devised by early religious scholars, which could result in a conservative interpretation. A controversial article that compelled the state to promote equality between men and women except where it "contradicts the rulings of Islamic law" has been removed completely. Women's rights activists are relieved its is gone, but say they would have preferred language to be inserted that pushed the cause of equality. Heba Morayef, the Egypt researcher of Human Rights Watch, singled out an article that bans "insulting or showing contempt to any individual" as a limitation in free speech. "Under this will one for instance be able to say that the president is a failure or a dictator?" she said. I see this as a deterioration in freedom of expression over previous drafts. Also there is no ban on custodial sentences in cases against the press. She also expressed concerns about language that only allows the adherents of the three Abrahamic faiths to practice their religious rites, pointing out that it opens the way for further persecution and blasphemy trials against the Shia and Bahai minorities. Critics have also pointed out that the constitution retains the right of the military to try civilians before military tribunals for vaguely defined crimes "which harm the armed forces." The document also protects the army's economic interests and allows them to keep their budget secret. But Zaid Ali, a constitutional expert with Idea International, an international organisation specialised in electoral and constitutional assistance, said opposition charges that the new constitution gave the president the powers of a pharaoh were exaggerated. "Limitations on the president's and the government's power come from a stronger parliament which now has far more authority than it did under the previous constitution of 1971," he said. He still though has a lot of power. For instance he nominates the head of the [monitoring] authority which audits him and the government. He should not have that power.