HK to hold LegCo polls on Dec 19; overhaul Bill approved

HONG KONG • Hong Kong will hold its Legislative Council election on Dec 19 after delaying the vote by more than a year because of the pandemic, a move that allows the government to push through changes that give China a veto over any pro-democracy politician.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced the changes yesterday after she said her advisory Executive Council approved a Bill to implement China's plan to overhaul the city's elections. The new rules will also make it illegal to organise public activities that incite others to not vote, cast blank votes or cast invalid ballots, Mrs Lam said.

Her government can now introduce a Bill in the Legislative Council featuring various amendments ordered up by China's top legislative body.

The changes, which will dramatically alter Hong Kong's already-limited elections, need Mrs Lam's administration to change local laws. "All we have to do is reflect these details in local legislation," Ms Lam told reporters, noting that the English version of the Bill is around 600 pages.

Earlier, Ms Lam said she would not prevent voters from casting blank ballots but that the situation would be different if "some people organise or intentionally incite voters collectively to do certain acts".

Meanwhile, Joshua Wong, one of Hong Kong's most prominent democracy activists and among 47 people charged under a national security law, was sentenced to four months in jail yesterday for unauthorised assembly and violating an anti-mask law.

Wong, 24, had pleaded guilty to both charges, including taking part in and using a facial covering at an unauthorised assembly in October 2019 during the height of anti-government protests, the court heard.

He had faced a maximum possible sentence of three years in jail. The sentence will extend a 131/2-month sentence he is already serving for organising an illegal assembly.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS