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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission will hold a public forum on its provisional recommendations on the geographical constituency boundaries for the 2004 Legislative Council Elections at 2.30pm this Thursday, August 7.
The public forum will take place at the Conference Room of the Commission at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposal. Both supporting and dissenting views are welcome.
The Commission proposes to maintain the boundaries and names of the five existing geographical constituencies in the general election for the Legislative Council in September 2004. Of the 30 directly elected seats prescribed by the Basic Law, the Commission suggests six for Hong Kong Island, four for Kowloon West, five for Kowloon East, eight for New Territories West and seven for New Territories East.
The proposed distribution of seats is in line with the Legislative Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2003, which says each geographical constituency shall have four to eight seats.
The population deviation in each proposed constituency is well within the permissible range and other demarcation criteria in the Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance. The Ordinance also requires each constituency to be formed by two or more contiguous whole District Council constituencies.
In addition, it says the Commission must take into account the existing boundaries of districts, the existing boundaries of geographical constituencies, community identities, the preservation of local ties and physical features of the relevant areas.
The deadline for the public consultation exercise is August 13. Written representations should be sent to the Commission at 10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Submissions may also be made by fax (2511 1682) or email (eacenq@reo.gov.hk).
More details and maps are available for inspection at the Registration and Electoral Office, district offices, post offices, public housing estate offices and public libraries. They can also be viewed or downloaded at the Commission's website: http://www.gov.hk/eac.
Enquiries can be made on 2827 1269.
End/Tuesday, August 5, 2003
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