KUWAIT CITY — The Kuwaiti opposition described a ruling by the top court scrapping legislative polls as “null and void" and politically motivated, urging a reversal of the decision to avoid “turmoil" in the country. “From a legal viewpoint, the ruling is null and void ... and accordingly has no value," said a statement signed by 35 members of the dissolved parliament following a lengthy meeting late Sunday. However, in view of the court order, the Cabinet submitted its resignation to the emir, a government source said. The opposition statement said the constitutional court has exceeded its mandate and interfered in politics, granting itself powers above those entrusted to the head of state and the national assembly (parliament). In an unprecedented verdict Wednesday, the constitutional court, whose rulings are final, declared February's legislative election won by the opposition illegal and reinstated the previous pro-government parliament. It based its decision on the grounds that two decrees dissolving the previous parliament and calling for a fresh election, both issued in December, were found to be flawed. The opposition statement said that reviewing decrees issued by the emir “does not fall within the jurisdictions of the court in accordance of the law," and that the verdict “came outside the constitutional legitimacy." The former MPs called on Kuwaitis to rally Tuesday in protest against the ruling. t Meanwhile, a court began the trial of 68 youth activists, including nine MPs, for storming the parliament building in November to demand the resignation of the former prime minister, a lawyer said. The court accused the activists with various charges including storming parliament, resisting police, unauthorized gathering and urging policemen to disobey orders, Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie, one of the defense lawyers, said. — Agencies
