Albany, New York - The New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled that new congressional maps must be drawn in the state ahead of the 2024 elections, delivering a major win to Democrats.

The 4-3 decision orders New York's bipartisan independent redistricting commission to draw new electoral lines for approval by the Democratic-controlled state legislature.

The new proposal must by filed by February 28, 2024.

"In 2014, the voters of New York amended our Constitution to provide that legislative districts be drawn by an Independent Redistricting Commission," Chief Judge Rowan D Wilson wrote in the majority opinion. "The Constitution demands that process, not districts drawn by courts."

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The independent commission was supposed to draw the maps used in the 2022 midterms, but the state legislature stepped and published its own maps in when the bipartisan group failed to reach consensus. The lines were later ruled unconstitutional on accusations of partisan gerrymandering, and a court independent expert took over from there.

Democrats filed a lawsuit last year arguing that the 2022 maps were only intended for one election cycle and that the bipartisan commission should have another shot to draw the maps for 2024. Republicans disagreed.

The 2022 midterms saw Republicans flip seats in New York under the new maps and ultimately take control of the US House.