Bogota, Feb 28 (IANS/EFE) Colombia's Constitutional Court has rejected a proposal to amend the country's charter to allow President Alvaro Uribe to seek a third consecutive term.

Both the bill (to amend the constitution) and the legislative process that produced it were deeply flawed, court president Mauricio Gonzalez said Friday.

Uribe was first elected in 2002 for a four-year term, but ran again in 2006 after the Colombian constitution was changed to allow him to seek a re-election.

A survey in December showed that Uribe could win the May 30 election if allowed to contest.

Former defence minister Juan Manuel Santos is the top choice in the event the incumbent president was barred from another bid.

Uribe enjoys strong approval ratings after more than seven years in office, largely due to the success of his US-backed military operation against the leftist guerrillas Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Uribe's governing coalition is now expected to invite Santos to contest in the presidential election.