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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission today (June 7) released proposed guidelines on election-related activities in respect of the District Council election for public consultation until July 6.
The commission also announced today that the nomination period for the 2007 District Council election, to be held on November 18, had been tentatively scheduled to run from October 2 to 15.
People are welcome to send written representations to the secretariat of the commission at 10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Submissions by fax (2511 1682) or email (eacenq@reo.gov.hk) are also welcome. A public forum will be held on June 22 for the public to express their views.
"All representations must reach the commission by July 6. Late submissions will not be considered," commission chairman, Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee, said.
The proposed guidelines state that the maximum level of election expenses a candidate can incur will be $48,000. This is subject to the passage of the legislation to increase the election expense limit from $45,000 to $48,000. The proposed guidelines also carry the operational details of the financial assistance scheme for candidates, which are also pending endorsement by the Legislative Council.
The proposed guidelines also set out the practical details for the scheme to allow candidates of District Council elections to request to print certain specified particulars on the ballot papers. These specified particulars include the names, abbreviations of the names and the emblems of prescribed bodies; the candidates' personal emblems and photographs; and the words 'independent candidate' or 'non-affiliated candidate'.
"People or bodies who want to have their names or emblems printed on the ballot papers for the 2007 District Council election must register these names or emblems with the commission if they have not done so before. Applications for registration must be made by June 18," Mr Justice Pang said.
The proposed guidelines can be obtained from the Registration and Electoral Office (10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai), or District Offices. They can also be downloaded at www.eac.gov.hk. For enquiries, please call 2891 1001.
Ends/Thursday, June 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:53
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