It is the first judicial review application filed by a civil servant concerning the pledge since the government announced the mandatory requirement this year.

Former assistant taxation officer Wong Chau-ming - who had been working in the Inland Revenue Department since 1996 - filed a writ with the high court Monday stating that he was forced to retire on October 25.

All civil servants employed before July 1, 2020, had to declare they will uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR.

The department asked Chau to submit a signed declaration on January 28. In a letter dated February 25, Chau asked about the necessity of signing the declaration and how to define contravening the declaration.

After a series of correspondences, Chau's case was transferred to the secretary for the civil service on August 6, who directed Chau to retire in the public interest on August 30 after consulting the Public Service Commission, according to the writ.

Although he submitted a signed declaration on August 12, Chau says he was informed by the commissioner of inland revenue that his pre-retirement leave would be from August 31 until October 24 and his retirement would take effect on October 25.

Chau wanted the court to overthrow the secretary for the civil service's retirement order and stage an oral hearing for his judicial review application.

Chau claimed the retirement order was irrational as he had signed the declaration and there is no good reason for the authority not to accept it. He added the order was "tainted with procedural impropriety" because he was not given a reason for being directed to retire.

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen in July said a total of 129 civil servants had refused to sign the declaration pledge and about 60 to 70 of them had left the government.