THE retired senior judge who will lead the probe into the Government's alleged attempt to meddle in opinion polls is respected and admired by his peers.
Mr Justice Noel Power accepted an invitation from University of Hong Kong council chairman Yang Ti Liang last week to head the three-member inquiry into the controversy.
The panel will investigate claims made by Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu, head of the Public Opinion Programme at the university's Journalism and Media Studies Centre, in an article published by the South China Morning Post on July 7.
In his column, Dr Chung claimed Tung Chee-hwa had passed on a clear message, through a third party, that he wanted an end to opinion polls on the Chief Executive's popularity and the Government's credibility.
Dr Chung later named the third party as university vice-chancellor Professor Cheng Yiu-chung.
Professor Cheng and Mr Tung denied putting pressure on Dr Chung.