An investigation of leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed El-Beltagy on charges of insulting Egypt's judiciary has been postponed to 7 July.

The deferral was based on a request submitted by El-Beltagy, asking for more time to allow his lawyers to study the case.

Charges were brought against the veteran Brotherhood leader by some 1,164 judges and senior prosecutors.

They accuse him of slander and defamation in the media.

The judiciary and the Brotherhood have locked horns repeatedly since last year. The Islamist organisation accuses the judiciary of being a bastion of the former regime.

The crisis was exacerbated by proposed amendments to the judicial authority law.

The bill, if passed, would force out more than 3,000 judges by lowering the retirement age of judges from 70 to 60.

Following a fierce backlash, the legislative Shura Council shelved the contentious amendments to the law.

Two prominent politicians are being investigated by prosecutors for the same allegations.

Egyptian prosecutors have formally requested that the political immunity of Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council member Sobhi Saleh be lifted, and have issued an arrest warrant for the head of the Wasat Party, Essam Sultan.