An Egyptian judicial official says the government of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi is appealing a court ruling that suspended a controversial parliamentary election.

Morsi's office had initially said that it respects court verdicts and that it did not intend to challenge the ruling.

The official says that Egypt's High Administrative Court on Wednesday set March 17 as the date to rule on the appeal. He spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

A lower court ruled March 6 that the election law, passed by a parliament dominated by Morsi's allies and other Islamists, was illegal.

It delayed elections set to take place in April. The opposition had called for a boycott, claiming there were not enough guarantees that the voting would be free and fair.