The Hong Kong Chief Executive Election and Legislative Council
Election (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2006 was passed by the
Legislative Council on Wednesday .?
"The Bill helps ensure the smooth conduct of the 2007 Chief
Executive (CE) election," a government spokesman said.
He said the Bill sought to address the legal issues identified
in the Fifth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force
and to provide for the electoral arrangements in the event that
only one CE candidate is validly nominated.
The Bill provides that, if an election for a new term CE will be
held within six months after a vacancy in the office of the CE has
arisen, it will not be necessary to hold a by-election, he
said.
The Bill stipulates that the term of office of the Election
Committee (EC) will commence on February 1 in the year during which
the period of office of the CE expires. It also states that a new
CE returned in a by-election may only serve for one more term after
expiry of the remaining period. The period will be regarded as one
term, the spokesman said.
The Bill also proposes that if only one CE candidate is validly
nominated election proceedings will continue, the spokesman
added.
(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2006)