New Hong Kong elections rule allows postponement of contests in specific Legislative Council constituencies
- Candidate’s death or disqualification during race for a directly elected seat will trigger delay in that constituency’s contest, lawmakers told
- Amendment outlined as part of Hong Kong government’s implementation of Beijing’s major overhaul of local electoral system
A Legislative Council candidate’s death or disqualification during the race for a directly elected seat will trigger the postponement of that particular geographical constituency contest, according to a senior Hong Kong official.
The constituency’s elections would be rescheduled under changes designed to avoid a candidate winning a seat without challenge, said Roy Tang Yun-kwong, permanent secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs.
The new amendment was outlined to lawmakers on Wednesday as part of the government’s implementation of the drastic Beijing-decreed reforms to the city’s electoral system.
Under the Hong Kong government’s amendments, the city will be divided into 10 constituencies each returning two elected representatives to Legco.
The arrangement – in contrast to the previous system of proportional representation – is likely to discourage both sides of the political spectrum from putting forward more than one contestant in each constituency, as winning both seats there would become almost impossible.
But it remains to be seen whether any opposition party will even want to advance any candidates given the stringent vetting mechanisms imposed by Beijing.