NPC panel prepares to remove Bo Xilai from post, setting up trial
As top legislative body prepares to strip fallen party star of legal immunity, his son denies reports he has returned home for court case
The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee is expected to strip disgraced politician Bo Xilai of his NPC membership next week, paving the way for the former high-flier's trial.
Xinhua reported yesterday that the NPC Standing Committee would meet from October 23 to 26 and members would review "the membership status of certain delegates".
The Politburo expelled Bo from the party late last month and Chongqing's people's congress voted to strip him of his NPC membership.
A decision to kick Bo, a former member of the Communist Party Politburo, out of the NPC would be put to a vote at the end of a four-day session, analysts said.
They added that stripping the former Chongqing party secretary of his NPC membership was constitutionally required to pave the way for criminal proceedings against him.
That's despite rumours that his trial was already under way, with some reports saying it began just yesterday.
"It is the final move to wrap up the administrative procedures that enable criminal charges against him, because under the Chinese constitution NPC deputies are immune from criminal prosecution," said Gu Su, a constitutional law expert at Nanjing University.