Egypt suspends parliamentary vote schedule

People walk in front of parliament in Cairo March 7, 2013. An Egyptian court threw the timetable for parliamentary elections into confusion on Wednesday, ordering the cancellation of President Mohamed Mursi's decree calling the vote and forcing a likely delay to polls due to start in April. [Photo/Agencies]

CAIRO - Egypt's Higher Election Commission decided Thursday to suspend an earlier decision about the schedule of parliamentary elections, official news agency MENA said.

The commission said in a statement its decision was based on Wednesday's Administrative Court ruling to suspend the decree of President Mohamed Morsi to hold the parliamentary elections on April 22.

The court also decided to refer 14 claims against the constitutionality of the newly-drafted elections law, which was approved by Morsi after being amended by the Shura Council (the upper house of the parliament), to the constitutional court.

According to the election commission, the registration for the parliamentary elections was due to start on March 9 and last through March 16.