The Northern Ireland secretary has provided "no clarity" on whether he will call a snap Assembly election, Stormont parties have said.
Chris Heaton-Harris held talks with party leaders in Belfast on Tuesday amid continuing uncertainty over his plans.
The Secretary of State failed to set a date for a new poll last Friday, despite saying he would do so the minute the deadline for restoring Stormont passed.
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A 24-week legislative timeframe to re-establish a ministerial Executive following May's election ran out on Friday and the UK Government assumed a legal responsibility to call a fresh election within 12 weeks.
The DUP has been blocking the devolved institutions in protest against Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol, which has angered unionists for creating trade barriers with Great Britain.
Speaking after their meeting, Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill said she remains "none the wiser" as to whether the Secretary of State will call an election.
She said: "We've asked him a number of questions, but I have to say (he) provided no clarity, he provided no further information as to the U-turn.
“We're left with no information in terms of what happens next, or at least what he intends to do next.
"It's very clear he has a legal obligation in which to call an election if an Executive is not formed.
“But he did not colour in the lines today. He certainly did not provide any clarity around what he intends to do next, apart from to say that he's here to meet with people."
Ms O'Neill said it was unacceptable that the public have been "left in limbo" and accused the British government of "pandering to the DUP".
"I am none the wiser today in terms of his next step; he didn't make that very clear," she added.
"He didn’t say what his next move was. But you can’t escape the reality that there’s a legal obligation on him to call the election.
"Instead, he’s created a political vacuum."
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said Mr Heaton-Harris offered no clarity on when or if an election would be called.
He said: "We simply don't know, the Secretary of State has not told us when he is going to call an election.
"So, at the moment, neither we nor the people of Northern Ireland know if and when an election will take place."
Sir Jeffrey said he had "no indication" that a deal on the protocol impasse between the UK Government and European Union is "close or imminent".
He added: "That’s why yesterday and today I’m calling on the Government to have a razor-sharp focus on these negotiations. Let’s make progress. Let’s get this done.
"Let’s get a solution that replaces the protocol with arrangements that respect Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom and its internal market."
On Friday, Mr Heaton-Harris insisted he still intends to call an election but did not set a date, prompting Northern Ireland’s chief electoral officer, Virginia McVea, to apologise to election workers who are on stand-by to assist on the basis that polling day will be December 15.
The minister said he will say more about an election this week after holding talks with the local parties.
He also indicated he would potentially take action to cut MLAs' pay.
Alliance leader Naomi Long described her meeting with Mr Heaton-Harris as "constructive" and said he was "taking time to reflect" before making any decision on an election.
She said: "From our perspective, we welcome the fact that the Secretary of State has listened to what's been said by the people of Northern Ireland, that he has paid attention to the issues that have been raised and he is clearly taking time to reflect on the way forward."
Mrs Long said Mr Heaton-Harris should take action to ensure Stormont had a budget and that civil servants have more powers to make decisions in the absence of ministers.
She said MLA pay also needed to be cut if the impasse continued.
UUP leader Doug Beattie said Mr Heaton-Harris has "no plan on how we proceed".
But he added that "if the plan is to have an election, then it's just nonsensical".
The DUP has said it will not return to power-sharing until decisive action is taken to remove the protocol's economic barriers on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The government has vowed to secure changes to the protocol, either by a negotiated compromise with the EU or through proposed unilateral domestic legislation, the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which would empower ministers to scrap the arrangements without the approval of Brussels.
The European Commission has said the latter approach would breach the terms of an international treaty and potentially prompt retaliatory action.
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