Brazil election a laughing matter

Brazil's election is a laughing matter again, at least for now.

Carlos Ayres Britto, vice-president of the country's Supreme Court, has suspended a rule banning TV and radio programmes from poking fun at candidates in the country's 3 October elections.

The ban hurts constitutional principles of free expression and creates programming restraints, Britto said. His ruling will be deliberated next week.

Brazil's top electoral court, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, in 2009 added an amendment to the country's electoral law that prevents "any use of audio or video that in any way degrades or ridicules political parties."