【明報專訊】THE High Court has ruled that the Hong Kong government's invocation of the Emergency Regulations Ordinance (the Ordinance) to implement the Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation (the Regulation) violates the constitutional order concerning the legislature and administration as stipulated in the Basic Law. It has also ruled that the restriction imposed by the Regulation "exceeds what is reasonably necessary". This has aroused intense concern from the central government. The spokesperson of the Hong Kong and Macao Office of the State Council stresses that the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress confirms that the Ordinance is compatible with the Basic Law, and the ruling is an open challenge to the authority of the National People's Congress.