UK Unionist leader Robert McCartney would be able to sit in the Northern Ireland Assembly as a representative for more than one constituency, the Northern Ireland Office confirmed tonight.
However, he was warned that should he decide to resign one of his seats if elected on March 7 it would trigger a by-election instead of going to one of his party colleagues.
The Northern Ireland Office confirmed that the UK Unionist leader, who has created a stir by putting his name forward for election in six constituencies, would not be entitled to the same rights as other Assembly members holding only one seat if they resigned.
In a statement branded as ludicrous by Mr McCartney, a Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said:
"He is entitled to stand in more than one constituency as is every other candidate.
"However his understanding of what would happen should he be elected in more than one constituency is not correct.
"In the event this happens and Mr McCartney chooses to resign more than one of his seats it would not be filled by one of his substitutes. "It would lead instead to a by-election under Section 7 of the Northern
Ireland Assembly (Election) Order 2001. "It would be open to Mr McCartney to keep his additional seats if he chooses as there is nothing expressly forbidding this in the legislation or Assembly Standing Orders."
The UK Unionist leader frantically dashed across Northern Ireland to put his name forward in six constituencies - North Down, North Belfast, Lagan Valley, West Tyrone, Fermanagh and South Tyrone and South Antrim.
He is not the only candidate standing in more than one constituency.
Rainbow George of the Make Politicians History Campaign is contesting the four Belfast constituencies while Billie Frazer, a campaigner against the IRA, has put his name forward for Foyle and Newry and Armagh.