Ratsiraka filed his candidacy papers two days after he returned from 11 years of exile in France.
Saturday’s court decision did not go down well with the affected candidates’ camps.
“We did not expect it at all,” said Ravalomanana’s aide Mamy Rakotoarivelo.
“It’s a bad surprise,” said Ange Andrianarisoa from the Ratsiraka camp.
Communication Minister Harry Laurent Rahajason was also “surprised” and said he sensed “trouble.”
The three candidates’ supporters “will not sit idly. I don’t think these cancellations will calm the situation,” warned the minister.
Five other candidates have also been struck off the list due to false information and other irregularities on their applications.
All the disqualified aspirants have been given three days to come up with a fresh proposal for their candidacy.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission and United Nations experts in the country are working on setting a new election date.
Elections were due to have taken place on July 24 but have been postponed indefinitely due to the deadlock.
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