London, Apr 3: A Malawi judge has rejected Madonna''s request to adopt a second child from the African country.

"I must have to decline to grant the application to Madonna," The BBC quoted judge Esmie Chondo, as saying in a ruling following a closed-door hearing on Friday.

As for the reason, it is being believed that the application was rejected over residency rules, according to The Associated Press.

The 50-year-old Queen of Pop had reached the southern African state on Sunday and applied to adopt four-year-old Chifundo James, whose name translates into English as Mercy, the following day.

The news agency said that request had been dismissed due to a requirement that prospective parents be resident in the country for 18 to 24 months. (ANI)