Judges handpicked by Gen. Pervez Musharraf took two hours to quash legal challenges to his disputed re-election as president, pavinthe way for him to fulfill a promise to quit as army chief, perhaps by the end of the month.

The Supreme Court ruling Nov. 19 also might make the U.S.-allied leader more inclined to ease a state of emergency that has bruised relations with opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and Washington.

Still, it further enraged his most bitter opponents, who denounced the purged court's decision as illegitimate.