Ukraine's Constitutional Court today overturned some changes introduced to an election law intended to eliminate fraud which tainted last month's presidential poll, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
The ruling was handed down less than 24 hours before polls open in tomorrow's re-run of that rigged vote and was likely to cause confusion at the close of a bruising campaign marked by invective and dirty tricks.
But the court's chairman said all other provisions of the law were approved and he believed the new ballot would produce a legitimate president.
"The Constitutional Court has made the final touches so that the election can take place according to the constitution," court chairman Mr Mykola Selivon was quoted as telling reporters.
"Now, no one will be able to say that the elected president is illegitimate or elected unconstitutionally."
Opposition leader Mr Viktor Yushchenko, who called vast crowds into the streets to back his allegations of mass fraud in the November 21st ballot, is now favored to win the new vote against Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.
Provisions of the new law, part of a legislative package passed by parliament to enable Sunday's vote to proceed, had been challenged by the prime minister and his team.
Interfax, quoting a statement, said the court ruled that provisions of the law limiting the right of infirm voters to cast ballots at home infringed civic rights and was unconstitutional.
It told the Central Election Commission to instruct local election officials to take account of the decision.
Voting at home and widespread use of absentee ballots were identified as the main sources of cheating in last month's ballot, in which Mr Yanukovich was declared the winner. The Supreme Court annulled the result and ordered the re-run.