Cuttack, Aug. 17: Orissa High Court today stayed its earlier order disqualifying Sukanti Subudhi as councillor of ward No. 18 of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

On July 28, the single-judge bench of Justice Biswanath Rath ordered termination of Subudhi's election and asked for fresh election to ward No. 18 of the corporation within two months.

However, a division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B.R. Sarangi today issued a stay on the order of the single judge bench on an appeal petition filed by Subudhi.

The interim stay order paves way for Subudhi to continue as councillor of ward No. 18 of the civic body till further orders.

Initially, Punam Parida, the BJD candidate who had lost to Independent candidate Subudhi in the corporation polls in 2014, had challenged the latter's election in the Court of District Judge, Khurda.

But, the lower court rejected her plea on January 13, 2015. Subsequently, she had challenged the lower court order in the high court.