Electoral Affairs Commission
The Electoral Affairs Commission ensures that elections are conducted openly, fairly and honestly. It reviews and makes recommendations on the Legislative Council and District Council constituency boundaries' delineation, and makes regulations, guidelines and arrangements for electors' registration and the conduct of public elections.
A public consultation will be launched on the proposed delineation of constituency boundaries for the District Council Elections in 2011, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam says. The Electoral Affairs Commission is expected to put forth a report to the Government on the final proposals by the first quarter of 2011.
Mr Lam today told reporters the Government will first set the overall scene for the 2012 constitutional reforms, and then determine the number of elected seats for the District Council Elections in 2011.
"Since July, we have already put the proposal for increasing the number of elected seats to 412 to the Legislative Council Panel on Constitutional Affairs. In the early part of the commencement of the 2010 LegCo session, as soon as proceedings began, we put forth the subsidiary legislation to implement the proposed increase in the number of elected seats. Therefore, we warmly welcome the inclination on the part of the LegCo sub-committee to expedite the examination of the proposed subsidiary legislation.
"As soon as the order is passed by LegCo, for example in November, it would be possible for the Electoral Affairs Commission to publish a report, say by December, on the proposed delineation of constituency boundaries for the 412 seats. Thereafter, political parties and prospective candidates will all have a pretty clear idea on the demarcation of the constituency boundaries and can make preparations for taking part in the District Council Elections in November 2011.”
After the public consultation the commission will submit a report to the Government on the final proposals for the delineation of the constituency boundaries. The Government will expedite the processing of the subsidiary legislation.
"Our overall approach is to enable political parties and prospective candidates concerned to have the better part of a year to make preparations for the elections in 2011."
