TNAG-2719-FCO40-3925-Hong-Kong-electoral-provisions-and-arrangements-1993 — Page 92

20-OCT-1993

16:51

DEPUTY IC'S OFFICE (GS)

+852 521 7058

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MUB 011/2 CONFIDENTIAL

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pa. Elections

Boundary and Election Commission (Amendment) Bill 1993

Present Position

(011/7)

An independent Boundary and Election Commission was established by the Government in July this year to take charge of electoral matters including the delineation of geographical constituency boundaries. Under the Boundary and Election Ordinance, the Commission is required to report to the Governor by December 31 this year its recommendations on the electoral boundaries for the Municipal Council elections in 1995. Its recommendations must be based on the number of elected Municipal Council seats currently provided for

for in law.

in law. However,

However, the composition of the Municipal Councils was one of the issues relating to the 1994/95 electoral arrangements which are being discussed between the British and Chinese Governments. The length of time taken to complete the talks had already made it impossible for the BEC to meet its original schedule of December 31 if there were to be changes to the number of Municipal Council constituencies. It was therefore necessary to extend the BEC's submission timetable to 30 April 1994. The proposed extension is contained in the Boundary and Election Commission (Amendment) Bill 1993 which will be published in the Gazette this Friday and is scheduled to be introduced into the Legislative Council on October 27.

Line-to-take

The new submission date takes account of the need to complete all statutory and administrative procedures for setting the Municipal Council constituencies before the end

end of the current Legco session in July. Under the law, these constituencies must be shown in the final voter register to be published before August 8, 1994.

CONFIDENTIAL