An unprecedented attempt to allow the public to vote on the fate of the municipal councils was thwarted last night.
The motion calling for a referendum to be held on District Councils elections day on November 28 was rejected by a vote of 33 to 17 after a two-hour debate.
The move, sponsored by the Democrats, was a last-ditch attempt to block the Government's decision to abolish the urban council and the regional council after their interim terms end on December 31.
Rejecting the motion, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Michael Suen Ming-yeung said Hong Kong did not have any laws on referendums. The issue should not be put to a simple vote of yes or no, he said.
Mr Suen described the post-abolition arrangement and legislation over the past year as 'a road which has no return'.
'Overall, the public have acquiesced in our decision on the district reorganisation, if not supported it,' he told legislators.
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong vice-chairman Cheng Kai-nam said a referendum required constitutional backing and clear procedures.