Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court yesterday rejected former president Abdurrahman Wahid's appeal for a judicial review of a health rule for candidates.

The decision dealt another blow to his hopes of making a comeback.

Earlier this month, the Constitutional Court also threw out a challenge by the near-blind Gus Dur – as Mr Abdurrahman is known – to the rule, which required presidential candidates to be in good health.

The physical and mental health standards had been set by the election commission.

Gus Dur and his supporters argued that the rule violated the Constitution and the United Nation's Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons. Blind people had demonstrated in support of the former president.

An official read out the court verdict before two of Gus Dur's lawyers yesterday, Detikcom news portal said.

Gus Dur underwent a health check on Thursday but doctors have not announced the results. His National Awakening Party was in third place after the April 5 legislative election.

In the past, Gus Dur had tried to curb the military's power but ended up being seen as an erratic leader. The Parliament that elected him to office in 1999 voted him out in favour of his deputy, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, in 2001.