Egypt’s transition to democracy was thrown into further disarray yesterday after its top court ordered Parliament dissolved and allowed a disputed candidate to remain in a divisive presidential run-off.

Activists and political figures have described the rulings as the final phase of a military coup that takes the transition back to square one.

“Back to where you were,” read a huge red headline in the independent daily Al-Shorouk.

The Supreme Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled certain articles in the law governing parliamentary elections to be invalid, thus annulling the Islamist-led house.

It also ruled as unconstitutional the political isolation law barring senior members of ousted president Hosni Mubarak’s regime and top members of his former party from running for public office for 10 years. The legislation had threatened to disqualify Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last prime minister, who is to face the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Mursi in a run-off election today and tomorrow.

Egyptian parties and activists accused the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of staging a “counter-revolution” after a series of measures that consolidated its power ahead of the polls.

The rulings came a day after a decision by the justice ministry to grant the army the right to arrest civilians, after that power was lifted on May 31.

“This series of measures shows the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the head of the counter-revolution, is adamant to bring back the old regime and the elections are merely a show,” six parties and movements said in a joint statement.