US President Barack Obama extended condolences to the family of Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia. (File Photo)
US President Barack Obama extended condolences to the family of Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia Saturday, as news of his death sent ripples through US politics.
Obama was informed about the unexpected passing of the conservative justice as he was golfing with friends in California.
"The president and first lady extend their deepest condolences to Justice Scalia's family," said White House spokesman Eric Schultz.
Further White House comment is expected later in the day.
Scalia's death sets up a monumental political fight during an already heated election campaign.
Replacing Scalia with a Democrat-appointed justice could significantly alter the balance of the court.
But Republicans who control the Senate -- which must approve Obama's nominee -- immediately drew battle lines.
Top Republicans went as far as demanding that Obama not name a replacement at all, saying that should be a job for the next president.
The election will take place in November and a new president will be sworn in in January.
"The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice," the Senate Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.
"Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president."
The constitution calls on the president to nominate and appoint Supreme Court justices with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The Supreme Court has played a significant role in US politics in recent years.
It played a decisive part in the 2000 election by stopping a Florida recount in the fiercely contested ballot that brought George W. Bush to power.
More recently it paved the way for non-governmental groups to pour money into election campaigns.
During Obama's administration, the court has been asked to rule on a series of executive orders, which were designed to bypass Congressional opposition.
Just this week the court froze the implementation of a major White House effort to cut carbon emissions, after a Republican legal challenge.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)