Mali's constitutional court has declared itself "incompetent" to examine a case calling for the military junta's suspension of political party activity to be annulled.
The court also ruled "inadmissible" a request from associations for magistrates and prosecutors to find that Mali was in a legal and "institutional vacuum" and to set up a roadmap back to elections, according to a document seen by AFP on Saturday,
Both court rulings were dated on Thursday.
The West African nation has been ruled by juntas since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, with the worsening security situation aggravated by militants and separatist groups.
Junta decree
Junta chief Colonel Assimi Goita this month issued a decree suspending the activities of political parties and banning media coverage of the parties in the name of maintaining public order.
The restrictions were imposed after the regime failed to keep a pledge to hand over to a civilian government by March 26.
Under pressure from regional bloc ECOWAS, the junta had promised to organise presidential elections in February.
The constitutional court said the case against the presidential decree suspending political activity fell under the Supreme Court's jurisdiction.
Legal vacuum
On the constitutional vacuum, the court said it had not been asked by the two relevant institutions - prime minister and speaker in parliament - to rule on the question.
Since overthrowing President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020, the junta in Bamako has undertaken a strategic reorientation, breaking off a long alliance with former colonial power France and fostering closer military and political ties with Russia.
➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
