The move came after Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who had remained silent on the election standoff, made a U-turn Monday by proposing new presidential elections.

Supporters of opposition leader Victor Yushchenko had been blocking access to the building with human chains and vehicles since the Nov. 21 presidential run-off which handed a disputed victory to Prime Minister Yanukovich.

Yanukovich on Monday complained of the blockade, saying some opposition supporters attempted to kidnap him en route to his office.

He also said his family had been sent out of the capital on Monday for their own security.

Thousands from the opposition camp gathered outside the congress and the Supreme Court pending a ruling on an opposition appeal demanding invalidation of the election results.

Both camps said the hearing, which started on Monday, are expected to last "several weeks."

"The quickest solution to the deadlock is that the court makes a ruling on the appeal as soon as possible, then the congress, the Supreme Council, adopts a resolution on re-election," said Dr. Oleksiy Syvak of the law department at Kiev University.

The number of protesters in Independence Square in central Kievfell sharply Tuesday morning. Large TV screens there were broadcasting the televised meeting at the Supreme Council.

As the election stand-off dragged on into its ninth day, the Supreme Council convened another emergency session Tuesday morning.

Opposition leader Yushchenko said on Monday his camp would table a draft resolution, demanding the downfall of Yanukovich's government.

Congress Speaker Vladimir Litvin said on Monday that "there is the possibility" of discussing the issue of dismissing Yanukovich at the meeting.