Egypt's Court of Appeal overturned Wednesday a decision by President Mohamed Morsi to depose Prosecutor-General Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud and ordered him restored to his office, according to the official MENA news agency.

Prosecutor-General Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud     Source: AP

Judge Sana Khalil said the court ruled that the president’s decision to sack Mahmoud is void and ordered the minister of justice to reinstate him. The ruling of Egypt’s Court is sure to intensify the tension between President Morsi and the country’s judicial body. President Morsi sacked  Mahmoud late last year and appointed Talaat Ibrahim to the powerful post. Egypt’s judges slammed the move as a clear assault on judicial issues.

In another development, MENA quoted President Morsi, on the sideline of the Arab League summit, as saying Egypt is likely to hold a general election in October. The president expected that the Shura Council, the upper house of parliament would complete the draft of a new parliamentary election law within two weeks and send it to the Supreme Constitutional Court for approval.