WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1990
"THUS THE FINAL REGISTER WILL NOT BE UP-TO-DATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH WILL BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER 1991 AND SEPTEMBER 1995," HE SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES TOOK PLACE IN APRIL AND MAY EACH YEAR AND AN ELIGIBLE PERSON MUST HAVE BEEN REGISTERED FIRST AS AN ELECTOR IN A GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY UNDER THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS ORDINANCE.
"BECAUSE OF THESE REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES, AN ELIGIBLE PERSON WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH REGISTRATION UNDER THE TWO DIFFERENT REGISTERS IN TWO SUCCESSIVE YEARS BEFORE HE IS ABLE TO VOTE IN A FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY. IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN 1986 AND 1988, SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE TO WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT OF PRIOR REGISTRATION IN A GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY.
"WE PROPOSE THEREFORE THAT THE TWO REGISTRATION EXERCISES IN RESPECT OF GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, RESPECTIVELY, SHOULD TAKE PLACE TOGETHER IN APRIL AND MAY BACH YEAR STARTING FROM 1991, AND THAT SIMULTANEOUS REGISTRATION TO THE TWO TYPES OF CONSTITUENCY SHOULD BE PERMITTED.
"THE RESPECTIVE FINAL REGISTERS WILL THEN BE PUBLISHED IN AUGUST OF THE SAME YEAR, I.E. ABOUT ONE MONTH BEFORE THE ELECTIONS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1991," THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID,
TO
THE BILL PROVIDES THAT A RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS MUST BE SUPPLIED FOR REGISTRATION SO AS TO ENABLE THE REGISTRATION OFFICER TO DEAL WITH SUSPECT REGISTRATIONS, SUBJECT TO THE EXISTING EXTERNAL CHECKS UNDER THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE BY A REVISING OFFICER, WHO WILL BE A MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY.
"REGISTERING FALSE RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES CAN BE A PROBLEM IN ELECTIONS BASED ON GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES. THIS CAN TAKE THE FORM OF A GROUP OF ELECTORS FALSELY REGISTERING UNDER A COMMON ADDRESS IN ORDER TO VOTE EN BLOC IN A PARTICULAR CONSTITUENCY FOR A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE.
THIS COMPROMISED THE HONESTY OF THE ELECTIONS, THE CHIEF
SECRETARY SAID.
THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT AND DISQUALIFICATION FROM CANDIDATURE AND OFFICE OF ANYONE WHO MAKES FALSE STATEMENTS IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS UNDER THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS (REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS) REGULATIONS AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) (REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS AND APPOINTMENT OF AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVES) REGULATIONS RESPECTIVELY,
"WE CONSIDER THAT ANY DELIBERATE ATTEMPT BY AN APPLICANT ΤΟ FALSELY REGISTER AS AN ELECTOR, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT ΤΟ AN ILLEGAL PRACTICE UNDER THE CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL PRACTICES ORDINANCE, SHOULD BE
DISQUALIFICATION FOR BOTH REGISTRATION AS A VOTER AND STANDING ELECTION, SIR DAVID SAID.
A
FOR
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