The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) today issued a directive asking Permanent Secretaries and Department Heads to set up a dedicated polling day co-ordination and support centre in the departments under their purview on Legislative Council (LegCo) election day on December 7.

They are also instructed to make flexible deployments of additional manpower on polling day and take all possible measures to enable civil servants who are on duty on the day to cast their votes.

Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said ensuring the success of the eighth LegCo General Election is an important task for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, to which all government departments have a responsibility to give full support.

By flexibly deploying additional manpower to work on polling day and providing all possible facilitation measures for civil servants on duty, the Government can ensure a smooth and orderly operation of the city and smooth voting by citizens, she added.

Departments will deploy additional manpower in a flexible manner in accordance with the bureau’s direction and mobilise civil servants to render full support to the work on polling day, to ensure the city’s normal and orderly operation, prevent potential risks or incidents, and safeguard the smooth conduct of voting across all districts.

The departments will also ensure proper monitoring of the smooth operation of all public services, facilities, and key infrastructure.

Smooth communication and co-ordination channels at all levels within the department will be ascertained to enable “early planning and early intervention” to address unforeseen issues promptly and effectively.

The departments will also make sure there will be sufficient manpower support for swiftly assisting departments in need to cope with emergency situations as and when necessary; and for appealing to all sectors to cast their votes early.

The bureau noted that over 30,000 civil servants will work for the election at polling stations and counting stations on polling day. Disciplined services and units such as public markets, sports centres and libraries will up their staffing levels as needed.

They may also set up support and co-ordination service posts at public facilities to provide information to the public and encourage them to vote.

The bureau has instructed all departments to implement all possible measures to enable civil servants on duty to cast their votes.

Specifically, they should make arrangements to release civil servants scheduled to work on polling day to cast their votes in an orderly manner, to ensure sufficient replacements to maintain public services, to reimburse travelling expenses incurred by civil servants who vote during their duty hours; and arrange for departmental staff unions and volunteer teams to encourage and support colleagues in need to vote at designated polling stations.

The bureau has earlier established a dedicated task force to oversee and co-ordinate election-related publicity and mobilisation efforts for the civil service.

It has also directed the civil service leadership and their respective policy bureaus and departments to set up leading task forces to implement publicity and mobilisation initiatives.

Additionally, according to CSB guidelines, if civil servants, including staff union representatives, need to temporarily leave their work to attend officially organised events during working hours, they may apply to their respective departments. Departmental management will consider operational needs and grant approval where circumstances permit.