TNAG-2010-FCO40-2862-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-General-Election-Com-1990 — Page 25

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individual members from each category should be selected; and

(b)

procedures for the nomination and election of candidates to

the legislature.

In considering these aspects it will be important to bear in mind that the GEC/Election Committee system of election to the legislature will be entirely new and that there is no precedent for such a body in Hong Kong's present system of government. It will therefore be most important that the role, composition and working procedures of the GEC/Election Committee are clearly advance, made clear in outline to Hong Kong people before or on promulgation of the Basic law and, in due course, stipulated in the electoral laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

established in

4. The British side believes that the following principles could best form the framework for creating a GEC/Election Committee system for the legislature:

(a)

since the objective of the GEC is to return a portion of the members of the legislature, it should not itself be an institution of government; it should cease to function once its main task of returning the members of the legislature has been accomplished.

A fresh electoral roll would have to be compiled for

each new election;

(b) the composition of the GEC should be designed, as far as possible, to avoid direct duplication with the membership of other constituencies returning members of the legislature;

(c) the GEC should be as representative as possible;

(a) the procedure for the nomination by the GEC of candidates to the legislature should be simple, open and prescribed in the

electoral law;

(e) voting should be by secret ballot.

The British side is of the view that such prinicples should be

5.

ROEACE

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