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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission today (July 5) began public consultation on its provisional recommendations on the delineation of the geographical constituencies in respect of the 2008 Legislative Council election. The public consultation will last until August 3.
The commission recommends retaining the boundaries and names of the existing five geographical constituencies.
"The five geographical constituencies will have a total of 30 seats. According to the population distribution, we propose to allocate six seats for Hong Kong Island, five for Kowloon West, four for Kowloon East, eight for New Territories West and seven for New Territories East," commission chairman Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee said.
Compared with the distribution of seats for the 2004 Legco election, Kowloon West will have one more seat and Kowloon East will have one less, due to the change in population figures. The number of seats for the other three geographical constituencies will remain the same.
In accordance with the Legislative Council Ordinance, 30 Legco members will be returned for five geographical constituencies and each constituency will have four to eight seats.
According to the forecast by an inter-departmental working group led by the Planning Department, Hong Kong will have a population of 6,975,100 by June 30, 2008. Therefore, on average, each geographical constituency seat will cater for 232,503 people (known as the "population quota").
The Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance provides that the population in each geographical constituency should not deviate by more than +/-15% from the number obtained by multiplying the "population quota" with the number of seats in that geographical constituency. The attached table on the proposed allocation of seats shows that the deviations in the five geographical constituencies range from –11.4% to +9.54% and all fall within the permissible range.
The Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance also requires each geographical constituency to be formed by two or more contiguous whole District Council constituencies. Demarcation of the geographical constituencies will also have regard to the existing boundaries of districts, the existing boundaries of geographical constituencies, the community identities, the preservation of local ties and physical features such as size, shape, accessibility and development of the relevant areas.
"The commission has explored a number of other options, but has found the present recommendations to be most desirable," Mr Justice Pang said. "There is no change in the boundaries and names of the geographical constituencies in this option, and the electors will not need to adapt to them."
He also stressed that political factors had not played any part in the commission's consideration.
People are welcome to send written representations on the provisional recommendations by mail, fax (2511 1682) or email (eacenq@reo.gov.hk) to the secretariat of the commission at 10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai by August 3. Late representations will not be considered. The commission will hold a public forum at its conference room at 2.30pm on July 26 to listen to people's views.
"Both supporting and different views on the recommendations are welcome," Mr Justice Pang said.
Maps on the proposed delineation and names of geographical constituencies can be downloaded at www.eac.gov.hk, or inspected at the Registration and Electoral Office, District Offices, post offices, public housing estate offices and public libraries.
For enquiries, please call 2827 1269.
Ends/Thursday, July 5, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:41
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