Law Society's Ambrose Lam refuses to weigh in on chief executive debate

The solicitors' professional body is staying silent on two key questions of political reform on which barristers have already stated their position.

Law Society president Ambrose Lam San-keung yesterday refused to comment on public recommendation - a process by which the public could put forward non-binding recommendations for 2017 chief executive candidates. He also described the question of a cap on the number of candidates as "a political wrestling match which I do not want to weigh into", adding: "I do not want to make a comment on the number."

This is despite a poll by the society that found a majority of members did not want a limit on the number of candidates.

Lam made his comments while elaborating on the reform submission made by the city's largest lawyers' group to the government last week.

The Law Society and the Bar Association have both said nomination of candidates by voters or political parties - so-called public nomination - would not comply with the Basic Law.

But the Bar Association said public recommendation was possible as long as the official nominating committee had the final say.

It also said in its reform submission that capping the number of candidates would "infringe the authority and liberty" of the nominating committee.