The court had previously suspended the resolution for at least five months, as Rajoy pushed for judges to block the process completely.
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Spain’s highest court has halted a push for independence by the northeastern region of Catalonia, ruling Wednesday that secession would be unconstitutional.
The motion, passed last month, calls on the regional assembly to start working on legislation within 30 days to create a separate social security system and treasury, with a view to completing independence in 18 months.
The Catalan parliament has until January 9 to elect a leader and form a government or it must call fresh elections, the fourth since 2010.
It added that the wealthy region would not necessarily obey Spanish institutions – including the Constitutional Court – which the declaration described as “delegitimized”.
On Wednesday, the acting Catalan government said the court’s decision would have little effect on curbing the political will of the regional parliament.
“Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s conservative prime minister, is hoping to sway undecided voters by presenting himself as a committed defender of Spanish unity – and by tapping into the rising anti-Catalan sentiment in the rest of the country”.
“The vast majority of Spaniards who believe in Spain, national sovereignty and the equality of Spaniards will be very pleased”, he said in a speech.
The delay in the formation of a regional government could allay tensions between Catalonia and the central government in Madrid over its secession drive ahead of a December 20 general election in Spain. It argues that the resolution is a political one with no legal standing and that the court can not rule against a parliament’s political will.
The elections left the Together for Yes coalition with 62 seats in the 135-seat parliament and far-left pro-independence CUP with 10 seats, paving the way for a potential alliance to form a majority.
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Earlier in the day, Spain’s national court said it was investigating two Catalan towns over possible crimes against the state after both passed motions supporting the independence resolution.
