4.
The introduction of elected representatives into the institutions of government began in effect in the early 1970s. Elections to the Urban and Regional Councils (charged with providing municipal services in Hong Kong) and District Boards now take place on a geographical constituency basis, with a broad franchise embracing all residents who are 21 years of age or over and have lived in Hong Kong for 7 years or more.
5.
The development of a more representative form of government at the central level also began in the 1970s, with the expansion of the Legislative Council to include more members who were not officials. Such members formed a majority of the Council for the first time in 1976. In 1985 an indirectly elected element was introduced into the Legislative Council. 12 members of the enlarged Council of 56 were elected from 'functional' constituencies based on major professional and occupational groups; 12 others were elected on a geographical basis by the electoral college comprising all members of the Urban
The other 32 members of and Regional Councils and District Boards.
the Legislative Council were either officials (10) or appointed
members (22).
6. The 1984 Review which led to the introduction of indirect elections in 1985 also considered the question of direct elections to the Legislative Council. The Hong Kong Government noted that although there was strong public support for the idea of direct elections, there was little support for such elections in the immediate future. They undertook to hold a review in 1987, before the 1988 elections, to give an opportunity for further consultation about the development of representative government, including specifically the introduction of direct elections.
7. The 1987 Review found that public opinion was in favour of introducing a directly elected element into the Legislative Council before 1997, but was sharply divided on the timing of this change. Some people favoured 1988, arguing that direct elections would promote the development of more open, accountable and representative government, and should therefore be introduced as early as possible. Others argued that 1988 was too soon because only three years had