ENG-2008 — Page 47

Constitution and Administration | 11

a registered elector on the Final Register, and also a registered elector of or have a substantial connection with the relevant functional constituency. To give due recognition to the significant contribution made by foreign nationals and the fact that Hong Kong is an international city and to meet the requirement of the relevant provision in the Basic Law, permanent residents of the HKSAR who are not of Chinese nationality or who have the right of abode in foreign countries may stand for election in 12 designated functional constituencies (functional constituencies No. 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23 as above).

The election for the fourth-term Legislative Council was held on September 7, 2008. Over 1.52 million registered electors cast their votes on polling day, representing a turnout rate of 45.2 per cent.

Electoral System for the Chief Executive

In accordance with the Basic Law, the Chief Executive shall be elected by an Election Committee (EC). The EC is composed of 800 members from four sectors. (which are in turn composed of 38 subsectors), comprising:

-

-

- 664 members of 35 subsectors who are returned through elections;

96 ex officio members who are Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Legislative Council under the NPC subsector and the Legislative Council subsector; and

40 members under the religious subsector who are nominated by six designated bodies.

The election of the third term Chief Executive by the EC was held on March 25, 2007. Mr Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was declared as returned at the election. On April 2, 2007, in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law and the outcome of the election by the EC, the State Council of the PRC appointed Mr Tsang as the third Chief Executive, with his term of office commencing on July 1, 2007.

Implementing Universal Suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council

The Government has now a clear timetable for attaining universal suffrage. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) promulgated a decision on December 29, 2007 making it clear that the Chief Executive may be elected by universal suffrage in 2017 and that Legislative Council may be formed by universal suffrage in 2020. The NPCSC has made a positive response to the democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong. This decision is welcomed by the HKSAR Government, different political parties, different sectors and the wider community.

The NPCSC's decision has also determined that appropriate amendments conforming to the principle of gradual and orderly progress may be made to the two electoral methods in 2012. The elections for the Chief Executive and Legislative Council in 2012 can be made more democratic.

The Chief Executive, in February 2008, set up a task group on constitutional development under the Commission on Strategic Development to study possible