Conservative U.S. justices sceptical about curbing gerrymandering

Demonstrators protest during a Fair Maps rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court, in Washington, U.S., March 26, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday signalled scepticism towards whether judges have a role in curbing the contentious practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to entrench one party in power.

As the oral arguments continue in two major cases, it appeared the court - which has a 5-4 conservative majority - would be closely divided on whether courts can limit partisan gerrymandering, with the liberal justices appearing more sympathetic to the idea of intervening.