An influential legal group with ties to Beijing has called on the government not to seek an interpretation of the Basic Law just because it wants to head off a legal challenge over the length of the chief executive's term.
Alan Hoo SC, chairman of the Basic Law Institute, also urged officials to set out constitutional principles governing the circumstances in which future interpretations would be requested and delivered.
'It is wrong for the government to ask for an interpretation just to target a judicial review,' said Mr Hoo.
He said this could undermine the judicial process.
'Court proceedings should be allowed to take their own course and have their own integrity. The government should trust the courts,' said the senior counsel.
Barrister Johnny Mok, who prepared a position paper for the institute last month, said it was unlikely that a judicial review would derail the vote by 'staying' the electoral process.