Early visit: Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung inspects one of the State Judicial Exam venues, the Delia Memorial School (Yuet Wah) in Kwun Tong

A total of 272 Hong Kong candidates have sat for the State Judicial Examination, the first held in Hong Kong.

Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung joined Mainland legal chiefs at one of three exam venues, Delia Memorial School (Yuet Wah) in Kwun Tong, to inspect arrangements for the test. The other two venues were YCH Wong Wha San Secondary School and Ying Wa College.

Under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement between Hong Kong and the Mainland, Hong Kong permanent residents with Chinese nationality can sit the exam and on passing will be granted a restricted right to practice on the Mainland.

Last year more than 179,000 candidates sat the test on the Mainland. This year 244,000 candidates sat the test on the Mainland and in Hong Kong and Macau.