Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Saturday rejected criticism of her surprise decision to extend her term in office and said only the island's highest court could challenge it.
The move is the latest in a political stand-off with her rival, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, that has sidelined efforts to revive peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels to end a two-decade civil war that has killed 64,000 people.
"If the decision is deemed to be unconstitutional, the only body with the authority to do so is the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka," the Presidential Secretariat said in a statement.