A Hong Kong court on Friday turned down the city’s first judicial challenge for same-sex marriage and civil union partnerships, but urged the government to “undertake a comprehensive review” to save time and money from court actions arising from discrimination.

Court of First Instance judge Mr Justice Anderson Chow Ka-ming ruled against a lesbian woman known as MK who complained that the government’s failure to provide the options of marriage or civil union partnerships had violated her constitutional rights.

The judge said the existing laws did not cover same-sex marriage, adding it would be “beyond the proper scope of the functions and powers of the court to change a social policy on a fundamental issue”.

MK filed her judicial challenges last year after failing to get married to her girlfriend.

Hong Kong does not recognise same-sex marriage in general, except for limited purposes – such as taxation, civil servants’ benefits, or application of dependent visas if a couple has married overseas – mostly achieved through legal challenges in the past few years. But despite new legal principles arising from those challenges, the government has yet to carry out a wider review of its policies.

While stressing the court does not take a stance on the issue, Chow wrote there was “much to be said” for the government to undertake a comprehensive review. Read more via South China Morning Post