ENG-2004 — Page 29

Constitution and Administration | 3

• Endorses the appointment and removal of the judges of the Court of Final Appeal and the Chief Judge of the High Court;

• Receives and handles complaints from Hong Kong residents;

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 Central People's Government (CPG) for decision; and

• 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 of the HKSAR is constituted by election. The election of the third term of the Legislative Council was held on September 12, 2004.

The 60 members of the third term of the Legislative Council comprise 30 members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections and 30 members returned by functional constituencies representing various sectors of the community. The President of the Legislative Council is elected by and from among members of the Council.

The third term of office of the Legislative Council began on October 1, 2004, and in accordance with the Basic Law and the Legislative Council Ordinance, the term of office is four years (2004-2008).

Meetings of the Legislative Council

The Legislative Council normally meets on Wednesday afternoons in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building to conduct its business, including tabling of subsidiary legislation and other papers and reports for the Council's consideration; asking questions for replies by the Government; introducing and considering bills and proposing resolutions; and debates on motions concerning matters of public interest.

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

During the 2003-2004 legislative session (from October 2003 to July 2004), the Legislative Council held 36 meetings, four of which were devoted to the Chief Executive's Question and Answer Sessions. The Council passed 37 bills and asked 612 questions and 909 supplementary questions. Altogether, 179 items of subsidiary