A judge yesterday ordered the Electoral Commission to launch a consultation process that could lead to the hamlet of Bidnija falling under the umbrella of the Mosta local council.

The council argued in a court case that Bidnija historically formed part of Mosta but was annexed to St Paul's Bay when the borders of local councils were being drawn up. The council said this was unacceptable but the Electoral Commission had refused to enter into discussions about changing the situation.

The Mosta council said the law governing local councils provided that changes to the boundaries of a locality could only be made by the Electoral Commission in exceptional circumstances and after consultations with the minister responsible for local councils, the councils in question and, where possible, the residents of the locality.

The council asked the court to declare that these exceptional circumstances existed and, thus, the Electoral Commission should be ordered to commence consultations.

After hearing evidence by elderly inhabitants of the locality, the court concluded that historically Bidnija had always formed part of Mosta for ecclesiastical and administrative purposes. As a result, there existed exceptional circumstances that justified the start of the consultation process.

Mr Justice Joseph Azzopardi ordered the Electoral Commission to commence the consultative process.