Loser launches challenge to one-vote defeat

A defeated candidate in last month's Legislative Council polls is going to court to challenge the outcome.

Ann Chiang Lai-wan filed an election petition on Saturday after losing by 24 votes to 25 to the Hong Kong Progressive Alliance's Dr Tang Siu-tong in the functional constituency seat for the Regional Council.

She claimed four votes should have been declared invalid because they were not marked with Arabic numbers.

Dr Tang and Returning Officer Lai Wing-kun have been named as the respondents.

The seat will go to a by-election if the court rules in favour of Ms Chiang.

Dr Tang said last night he was undaunted by the challenge.