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HONG KONG: THE ELECTORAL TIMETABLE
1.
n
p.r. Elections
Miss Sander, 14/4
Many Hanks. As
you'll see, He for now accepts He force of His
This note considers hypothetically how late decisions could be left if it is not possible to enact legislation by July. We
have not consulted Hong Kong, and our estimates may be wrong.
2.
3.
There are three sets of elections involved:
- for the District Boards (in September 1994);
-
for the Municipal Councils (in March 1995); and
for the Legislative Council (in September 1995).
Two of the most controversial proposals:
- for the Election Committee;
for the new functional constituencies
are relevant only for the LegCo elections. For these final
decisions could probably be taken at the very latest in autumn
1994. (Arrangements for the Sept 1991 elections were only passed to LegCo in autumn 1990).
4.
The proposals which require more urgent decision, to be in
time for District Board elections, concern:
-
the drawing up of boundaries: would need to be completed
before electoral registers can be published and to give
candidates time to nurse their constituencies by July 1993;
the voting system by Spring 1994 at latest;
-
by
composition of the District Board (eg whether to retain
appointed members; whether NPC deputies may stand)
Spring 1994.
5.
It looks as if July 1993 is a practical deadline for only
the Boundary and Election Commission, which has already been
separated from the package. Draft legislation for this was put to Legco in early February this year.
timetable.PR.JRB
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