Cairo, Jul 4 (PTI): Egypt's powerful military tonight ousted country's first democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi and suspended the constitution after the 48-hour army deadline for him to meet people's demands expired.

Egyptian army commander General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a televised statement to the nation said President Morsi is replaced by chief justice of constitutional court, a year after he was elected.

Egypt army suspended the constitution and announced early presidential elections.
Millions of protesters nationwide who were demanding Morsi's ouster cheered the move by the army.
Al-Sisi said the military was fulfilling its "historic responsibility" to protect the country by ousting Morsi.

Morsi failed to meet demands to share power with opponents who thronged the streets of
Cairo, and those crowds erupted as the announcement was made.

Ahead of the statement, troops moved into key positions around the capital and surrounded a demonstration by Morsi's supporters in a Cairo suburb.

Citing an unnamed presidential source, the state-run newspaper Al-Ahram reported that "the General Command of the Armed Forces told President Morsi around 7 pm (local time) that he is no longer a president for the republic."

Also, a Morsi aide said the 61-year-old Egyptian leader has been moved to an undisclosed location.