Legal contest on shake-up of poll areas

A BELFAST man has won High Court permission to challenge proposals for redrawing electoral constituencies.

He was granted leave to seek a judicial review of the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland’s final recommendations.

Plans published last September will see the number of parliamentary seats cut from 18 to 17 – with Belfast retaining four rather than three.

Mr Justice Mccloskey ruled the man established an arguable case on points of alleged unlawfulness and granted leave to seek judicial review, listing the case for hearing in May.