KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait's constitutional court on Wednesday declared February's legislative polls in which the opposition swept to victory illegal and reinstated the previous pro-government parliament.

Leading opposition MP Mussallam al-Barrak described the verdict as “a coup against the constitution” and called for the opposition to take a united stand.

“The court nullifies the election that was held on Feb 2, 2012... and cancels the membership of MPs who were declared winners,” said the court verdict.

The court based its decision on the grounds that two decrees “dissolving the previous parliament and calling for a fresh election were illegal,” the verdict said.

The ruling, which is final and cannot be challenged, also stipulated that “the previous parliament regains its constitutional powers as if it had not been dissolved”.—AFP