The Madagascan High Constitutional Court (HCC) has rejected an appeal by supporters of former president Marc Ravalomanana, who was forced to resign last month.

The HCC refused to change its ruling on March 18, when it legalized Antananarivo ex-mayor Andry Nirina Rajoelina as president of the Indian Ocean island country and the transitional government he proclaimed on Feb. 7.

Ravalomanana's supporters, including some parliament members, urged the HCC to explain the laws and constitution on which it legalized Rajoelina's presidency and to restore the functioning of the two-house parliament, which had been suspended by Rajoelina soon after the HCC ruling.

Ravalomanana resigned on March 17 after he handed over his presidency to the military top brass, who transferred the power to Rajoelina on the same day.

According to a decision taken by the HCC last Thursday but published by the HCC website on Monday, the HCC upheld its ruling on March 18, saying that it was already taken and implemented.

The HCC said that Ravalomanana freely transferred his full power to the military without HCC agreement though it was forbidden and unconstitutional, which led to the vacancy of the presidency.

It had no power to restore the functioning of the two houses of the parliament, the senate and the national assembly, overwhelmingly controlled by I Love Madagascar party led by Ravalomanana, the HCC website said.

However, the former ruling party said, Ravalomanana was forced by mutinous soldiers to hand over power to the military, which had no choice but to transfer the presidency to Rajoelina.

The whole process of power transfer and the acts that followed were in fact unconstitutional and the establishment of the High Transitional Authority by Rajoelina and decisions it had been taken, including the dissolution of the parliament were completely undemocratic and illegal, I Love Madagascar said in a communiqué published on Monday.

According to Madagascan constitution, adopted more than 40 years ago, Rajoelina, 34, is six years younger before who could be a president of the country.

Ravalomanana, who ruled the island country for seven years since 2002, said on several occasions that he was forced to hand over his power to a military board and left the country for his own safety.

MIDI, a French-language daily, disclosed on Monday that the HCC had admitted that the whole process that led to the installation of Andry Rajoelina did not meet the Constitution.

According to the constitution, Ravalomanana should hand over his power to the Senate, the upper house of the parliament but not to the military and it is also not legal process for the military to transfer power to Rajoelina.

Ever since Rajoelina replaced Ravalomanana as president of the country, the debate on the legality of HCC's ruling has been continuing among the politicians and legal experts.

Ravalomanana's supporters have carried on their strikes and protests nearly every day against Rajoelina and the transitional government he has been leading.

There is no sign for an earlier peaceful solution to the current political crisis and social turmoil that kicked off last December over the world's fourth largest island.