HONG KONG, Sept. 17(Xinhuanet)-- 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 Chinese mainland legal chiefs on Saturday at one of three exam venues, Delia Memorial School in Kwun Tong, to inspect arrangements for the test, according to a government press release.

Under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement(CEPA) 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 in the Chinese mainland cities.

Last year more than 179,000 candidates sat the examinations in the Chinese mainland. This year 244,000 candidates sat the examinations held in different places. Enditem