Egypt's military rulers Sunday night issued a constitutional document, allowing them to keep legislative powers until a new legislature is elected, the state television website reported, four days after the country's highest court dissolved the Islamist-dominated lower house of parliament, DPA reported.
The new constitutional declaration gives the junta the power to select a commission to draft a permanent constitution to be put to a public vote, added the report, quoting an unnamed military official.
A legislative election is to be called within a month of the people's approval of the constitution, said the official.
Other news media said that Egypt's new president would have to get approval from the ruling military council before declaring a decision to go to war.
Egyptian Nobel peace prize winner Mohammed ElBaradei said the new document makes the military the country's de facto ruler.
"By virtue of this constitutional declaration, the military council retains the legislative powers and strips the president of its authorities as the supreme commander of the army," he added via Twitter.
The document was disclosed hours after Egyptians finished voting in a polarizing presidential run-off pitting Ahmed Shafiq, an ex-army general, against the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi.
The military has been ruling Egypt since Hosny Mubarak was deposed in a popular revolt in February 2011.
The junta previously pledged to hand over power to an elected president by the end of this month.