Egypt's Administrative Court (State Council) will consider appeals to annul the two-stage referendum on the country's new constitution on Thursday.

A court in Kafr al-Sheikh referred the legal challenges against the constitutional referendum to Egypt's Administrative Court on Wednesday.

The branch court had said that the second round of the referendum will take place in 17 provinces and not just Kafr al-Sheikh, thus the appeals are above its jurisdiction.

The lawsuits challenge the president's decision to conduct the referendum over two days as it defies a constitutional declaration from last year that compels vote to conclude in one day.

The plaintiffs argued that a new constitutional decree should have been issued to legalize the two-stage referendum.

The first stage of the referendum took place on Saturday, December 15, whereas the second is scheduled for December 22.