The Egyptian presidency "respects the Administrative Court's ruling to suspend lower house elections and [its decision to] refer the elections law back to the Constitutional Court," according to a statement released on the presidency's official Twitter account on Wednesday.

The presidential statement comes hours after Egypt's Administrative Court overturned a presidential decree that set parliamentary elections on 22 April, after referring Egyptian electoral legislation to the High Constitutional Court (HCC), questioning the constitutionality of the newly-drafted law.

"The presidency reaffirms its respect for Egypt's constitution, rule of law and separation of powers," read the statement via Twitter. 

On 18 February, the High Constitutional Court rejected five articles in the recently drafted electoral law set to regulate the post-constitution parliamentary elections.

The law was referred back to the Shura Council (Egypt's upper house of parliament) for amendments, after which the legislative body partially amended the legislation without referring it back to the HCC.

President Mohamed Morsi then issued a decree declaring that parliamentary polls would be held in late April.

The Administrative Court ruled that the Shura Council, which is currently endowed with legislative authority, should have referred the law back to the HCC before ratifying it to ensure the constitutionality of the amendments.