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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
Under the Particulars Relating to Candidates on Ballot Papers (Legislative Council and District Councils) Regulation (Cap. 541M), candidates in Legislative Council (LegCo) and District Council (DC) elections and by-elections may apply to have certain pre-registered particulars printed on the ballot papers for easier identification by electors.
Bodies or persons wishing to register or amend their particulars with the Electoral Affairs Commission in the 2012 registration cycle should hand in their applications by April 15.
According to the Regulation, these particulars include the names, abbreviations of names and emblems of prescribed bodies; the personal emblems and photographs of prescribed persons; and the words "Independent Candidate" or "Non-affiliated Candidate".
Bodies or persons who have already registered the specified particulars with the Commission in previous registration cycles are not required to make another application. Also, according to the Regulation, the Commission will deregister a registered particular if no request is made to print the particular on ballot papers for two consecutive LegCo Elections, two DC Elections and any by-elections that are held between these elections.
The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will send letters starting from March 12 to all affected bodies and persons to state that their registered particulars have been deregistered. If members of the affected bodies and the affected persons wish to use the de-registered particulars at the LegCo Election in September this year, they should submit fresh applications by April 15.
"Although applications can be submitted at any time during the year, only those applications submitted on or before the statutory cut-off date of April 15 will be processed within the 2012 registration cycle. Applications submitted after April 15 will be processed in the 2013 registration cycle," a Commission spokesman said today (March 11).
Application forms are available at the REO and all District Offices. They can also be downloaded from the Commission's website (www.eac.gov.hk).
The Commission will carefully consider all applications in accordance with the criteria and procedures stipulated in the regulation.
Details of all successful applications will be gazetted and open to public inspection at the REO during office hours. The public can also view the information at the Commission's website.
For enquiries concerning the application procedures, please call the REO hotline on 2891 1001.
Ends/Sunday, March 11, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:01
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