Egypt’s Cairo Administrative Court has suspended the parliamentary elections, which were planned to begin in April.

The court said that the electoral law, proposed by Egypt’s President Mohammed Mursi, requires approval by the country’s Supreme Constitutional Court.

The elections were scheduled to begin on 22 April, and take place in four stages over a two-month period. According to local media reports, President Mursi said that he “accepted” the decision.

The election date had been announced by Mursi in February, bringing the date forward from the originally planned 27 April.

The elections follow the referendum in December in which Egyptians voted for the introduction of a much-debated new constitution, which demands that the voting takes place within a two-month time frame. The final rounds of voting are currently scheduled for the end of June.

The constitution has attracted criticism from a diverse range of groups, including liberals and Coptic Christians, who argue that it does not represent minorities, having been drafted by an assembly dominated by Islamic groups. Many boycotted the referendum at the end of 2012.

In response to concerns over integrity of the planned elections, members of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party have said the polls would be conducted under close supervision from the judiciary.

In the run-up to the announcement of the election date, Egypt has seen a number of anti-government protests take place cross the country, reflecting the increasing levels of frustration with Mursi’s presidency.