India, Sept. 9 -- A federal judge in Missouri on Tuesday temporarily blocked the state from using its old congressional districts in the November election, after the US Supreme Court declined to get involved in the twisting and confusing legal battle.

The decisions highlight the confusing nature of Missouri's redistricting battle, which has spanned more than a year.

The federal court action came just days after the Missouri Supreme Court said the state cannot use a new US House map backed by President Donald Trump in the November election because citizens turned in thousands of petition signatures demanding a statewide vote on it.

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up an appeal from Missouri's Republican attorney general,...