The Constitutional Court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has approved a request from the electoral commission (Ceni) to postpone the presidential election, which had been due to take place in November.
President Joseph Kabila's second and last term comes to an end in December, and opposition activists suspect him of trying to hang on to power.
The Ceni made its request for delay on 17 September, prompting two days of deadly street protests on 19 and 20 September between opposition activists and security forces.
At least 50 people are now reported to have died in the clashes, most of them civilians.
Five out of the nine judges sitting in the constitutional court backed the Ceni's request and it happened as the ruling coalition and a faction of the opposition agreed on a political deal for the presidential election to take place in April 2018.