A Hong Kong court has dismissed a legal challenge against a bill that will significantly change the city’s electoral system, saying it has a slim chance of success.

The bill — proposed by the Hong Kong government after Beijing passed amendments to the city’s mini constitution — could see the proportion of directly-elected lawmakers halved and require all candidates to be vetted for political loyalty.

Kwok Cheuk-kin, also known as the “king of judicial reviews,” argued that the amendments would go against Hongkongers’ right to vote and be elected.

There would also be a conflict of interest for the chief executive as government appointees would be able to select the city’s leader as members of a revamped Election Committee, he said.

Procedural fairness would also be damaged as the decisions made by a new vetting committee to screen candidates could not be legally challenged, Kwok argued.

However, Judge Anderson Chow said local courts had no jurisdiction over Beijing’s decision, citing a case involving Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai. He added that there was no reason for the court to be involved when the bill had not become law.

The case was neither reasonably arguable nor had a realistic prospect of success, Chow said.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that the second reading of the bill would resume on May 26.

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