Brasilia, December 9 (RHC-agencies)-- Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Luiz Edson Fachin has suspended the work of the special committee created by the Chamber of Deputies to investigate whether or not impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff should move forward.

Fachin's ruling effectively freezes the work of the committee until the Supreme Court analyzes and rules on a request from the Communist Party of Brazil.

The Communist Party is pushing for the court to consider the legality of the secret voting procedure adopted by Eduardo Cunha, speaker of the lower house.

On Tuesday, a group of lawmakers who back the impeachment of the president won an internal election held by the Chamber of Deputies to determine the composition of the special committee. The vote was done via secret ballot.

The Communist Party of Brazil argues that the special committee members must be officially nominated by the party leaders and not be elected via secret ballot.

Supporters of the government maintain that the impeachment proceedings constitute a parliamentary coup aimed at overturning the results of the 2014 presidential election that saw Rousseff reelected.

A ruling from the Supreme Court on the matter is expected on December 16.