ENG-2002 — Page 31

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

4. To receive and debate the policy addresses of the Chief Executive;

5. To raise questions on the work of the Government;

6. To debate any issue concerning public interests;

7. To endorse the appointment and removal of the judges of the Court of Final

Appeal and the Chief Judge of the High Court;

8. To receive and handle complaints from Hong Kong residents;

9. If a motion initiated jointly by one-fourth of all the Members of the Legislative Council charges the Chief Executive with serious breach of law or dereliction of duty and if he or she refuses to resign, the council may, after passing a motion for investigation, give a mandate to the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal to form and chair an independent investigation committee. The committee shall be responsible for carrying out the investigation and reporting its findings to the council. If the committee considers the evidence sufficient to substantiate such charges, the council may pass a motion of impeachment by a two-thirds majority of all its members and report it to the CPG for decision; and

10. To summon, as required when exercising the above-mentioned powers and

functions, persons concerned to testify or give evidence.

Composition

Under the Basic Law, the Legislative Council is constituted by election. The election of the second term of the Legislative Council was held on September 10, 2000.

The 60 members of the council's second term comprise 24 members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections, 30 members returned by functional constituencies representing different sectors of the community, and six members returned by an Election Committee comprising 800 elected representatives of the community. The President of the Legislative Council is elected by and from among members of the council.

The second term of office of the Legislative Council began on October 1, 2000, and in accordance with the Basic Law and the Legislative Council Ordinance, the term of office is four years (2000-2004).

Meetings of the Legislative Council

The Legislative Council normally meets on Wednesday afternoons in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building to conduct business which includes the tabling of subsidiary legislation and other papers and reports for the council's consideration; asking of questions for replies by the Government; the introduction and consideration of bills and proposed resolutions; and debates on motions concerning matters of public interest.

All Legislative Council meetings are open to the public and are conducted in Cantonese or English with simultaneous interpretation provided. Putonghua may be used when requested by members, with simultaneous interpretation provided. The proceedings of the meetings are recorded verbatim in the Official Record of Proceedings of the Legislative Council.

During the 2001-02 legislative session (from October 2001 to September 2002), the Legislative Council held 34 meetings. Three of these were devoted to the Chief

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