立法會 Legislative Council Ref : CB2/PL/CA LC Paper No. CB(2)1026/11-12 (These minutes have been seen by the Administration) (These minutes have been seen b Panel on Constitutional Affairs Minutes of meeting held on Monday, 20 June 2011, at 2:30 pm in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building Members : Hon TAM Yiu-chung, GBS, JP (Chairman) present Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG LAU Yau-fun, GBS, JP (Deputy Chairman) Hon Albert HO Chun-yan Ir Dr Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai, SBS, S.B.St.J., JP Dr Hon Margaret NG Dr Hon Philip WONG Yu-hong, GBS Hon WONG Yung-kan, SBS, JP Hon LAU Kong-wah, JP Hon LAU Wong-fat, GBM, GBS, JP Hon Miriam LAU Kin-yee, GBS, JP Hon Emily LAU Wai-hing, JP Hon Timothy FOK Tsun-ting, GBS, JP Hon Abraham SHEK Lai-him, SBS, JP Hon Audrey EU Yuet-mee, SC, JP Hon LEE Wing-tat Hon Jeffrey LAM Kin-fung, SBS, JP Hon CHEUNG Hok-ming, GBS, JP Hon WONG Ting-kwong, BBS, JP Hon Ronny TONG Ka-wah, SC Hon CHIM Pui-chung Prof Hon Patrick LAU Sau-shing, SBS, JP Hon Cyd HO Sau-lan Dr Hon LAM Tai-fai, BBS, JP Hon CHAN Kin-por, JP Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG Mei-fun Hon WONG Kwok-kin, BBS Hon IP Kwok-him, GBS, JP Hon Mrs Regina IP LAU Suk-yee, GBS, JP Hon Paul TSE Wai-chun Dr Hon Samson TAM Wai-ho, JP - 2 - Hon Alan LEONG Kah-kit, SC Hon WONG Yuk-man Members : Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong absent Hon WONG Kwok-hing, MH Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung Hon Tanya CHAN Public Officers : Item III & IV attending Mr Stephen LAM Sui-lung Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Mr Arthur HO Kin-wah Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Ms Anne TENG Yu-yan Principal Assistant Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Mr Freely CHENG Kei Principal Assistant Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Mr LI Pak-hong Chief Electoral Officer, Registration and Electoral Office Mr Anthony CHAN Shiu-lun Principal Electoral Officer, Registration and Electoral Office Item V Mr Arthur HO Kin-wah Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Mr Freely CHENG Kei Principal Assistant Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Mr LI Pak-hong Chief Electoral Officer, Registration and Electoral Office - 3 - Mr Anthony CHAN Shiu-lun Principal Electoral Officer, Registration and Electoral Office Clerk in : Miss Flora TAI attendance Chief Council Secretary (2)3 Staff in : Mr Arthur CHEUNG attendance Senior Assistant Legal Adviser 2 Ms Wendy KAN Assistant Legal Adviser 6 Miss Ivy LEONG Senior Council Secretary (2)3 Action I. Information papers issued since the last meeting 1. Members noted that no information paper had been issued since the last meeting. II. Items for discussion at the next meeting [LC Paper Nos. CB(2)2111/10-11(01) and (02)] 2. Members agreed to discuss at the next regular meeting to be held on 18 July 2011 the following items proposed by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs ("SCMA") – (a) Provisional recommendations on delineation of geographical constituencies in respect of the 2012 Legislative Council ("LegCo") Election; (b) Proposed Guidelines issued by the Electoral Affairs Commission on Election-related Activities in respect of the Election Committee ("EC") Subsector Elections; and (c) Practical Arrangements for 2011 EC Subsector Elections. III. Practical Arrangements for the 2011 District Council Election [LC Paper Nos. CB(2)2086/10-11(01) and CB(2)2111/10-11(03)] - 4 - Action Briefing by the Administration 3. SCMA said that the next District Council ("DC") ordinary election would be held on 6 November 2011. The Electoral Affairs Commission ("EAC") was making preparations for various electoral arrangements for the DC election. EAC had issued the Proposed Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the DC election ("the Proposed Guidelines") for public consultation. The consultation period would end on 22 June 2011 and the final guidelines would be issued around September 2011. 4. Chief Electoral Officer of the Registration and Electoral Office ("CEO of REO") briefed members on the key electoral arrangements proposed by EAC for the 2011 DC election as set out in the Administration's paper [LC Paper No. CB(2)2086/10-11(01)]. 5. Members noted the background brief prepared by the LegCo Secretariat on the subject under discussion [LC Paper No. CB(2)2111/10-11(03)]. Discussion Polling hours 6. Noting that the polling would be conducted from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm, Dr LAM Tai-fai enquired whether the Administration had any statistics showing the variation of voters' turnout rate throughout the polling hours. In anticipation of an increase in the number of electors in the coming DC election due to the creation of the five new DC functional constituency seats in the 2012 LegCo election, Dr LAM considered that adjustment in the polling hours could facilitate vote counting arrangements. Sharing Dr LAM's view, Mr IP Kwok-him and Mr LAU Kong-wah suggested that the Administration could consider reducing the duration of polling hours to facilitate vote counting arrangements and to save staffing resources. Mr LAU pointed out that the polling hours in other nearby countries or regions were much shorter than that in Hong Kong. 7. Mr Paul TSE was of the view that the Administration should study the voters' turnout rate in the last few hours of the polling period to ascertain the possible effect on electors. Taking into account the long working hours of polling staff, Mr TSE considered it reasonable to shorten the polling hours to 12 hours (i.e. from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm). - 5 - Action 8. Mr LEE Wing-tat, however, said that EAC had once proposed to shorten the polling hours but it had aroused much public concern. As many workers had to work very long hours even on Sundays, Mr LEE considered that it would be appropriate to maintain the existing polling hours. The Chairman recalled that EAC had previously proposed to shorten the polling hours but the proposal was not well-received. He, however, considered that the public might be receptive to a slight adjustment in the polling hours. He suggested that the Administration could consider making a moderate adjustment. 9. SCMA responded that the voters' turnout rate was fairly consistent throughout the polling hours. Based on a voting rate of 45%, the turnout rate of electors was around 3% per hour. He further advised that polling stations would be converted to counting stations after the poll ended at 10:30 pm. The Administration would ensure that there was sufficient manpower for the conversion and counting process. The Administration would consider whether the polling hours should be revised having regard to the views of members. Access to polling stations 10. Noting from paragraph 6 of the Administration's paper that REO aimed to have at least 90% of the polling stations set up at venues accessible to electors with disabilities, Ms Emily LAU enquired about the availability of special arrangements in the remaining 10% of the polling stations to facilitate access to these stations by electors with disabilities. Pointing out that the location of some polling stations in the rural areas was quite remote, Mr CHEUNG Hok-ming asked whether the Administration would arrange rehabilitation buses to facilitate access by electors with disabilities to these polling stations. 11. CEO of REO said that REO had put in a lot of efforts in securing barrier-free venues for use as polling stations. In the 2010 LegCo by-election, 85% of the polling stations were set up at venues accessible to electors with disabilities, as compared to 50% for the past elections. REO aimed to have at least 90% of the polling stations set up at venues that were barrier-free in the coming DC election. In the long run, REO hoped that 100% of the polling stations would be accessible to electors with disabilities. He further said that upon receipt of the poll card, an elector could apply to REO for re-allocation to a special polling station five days before the polling day if the elector was allocated to a polling station not accessible to the - 6 - Action disabled. The Administration could arrange rehabilitation buses for electors with disabilities to go to the polling station if necessary. 12. Mr IP Kwok-him asked how REO would balance between the accessibility of a venue and the provision of barrier-free access when identifying venues for use as polling stations. CEO of REO advised that in looking for a suitable venue for use as a polling station, REO would take into consideration the accessibility of the venue, the provision of barrier-free access, the accommodation and the availability of suitable facilities. REO would strike a balance among these factors to facilitate electors to vote. REO would also arrange for installation of ramps at suitable venues to improve accessibility where necessary. Polling staff 13. Ms Emily LAU said that the Administration should only recruit civil servants as electoral staff on the polling day. To ensure elections were conducted in a fair and just manner, Ms LAU suggested that civil servants should not be arranged to carry out duties in the polling stations of the same district where they worked. Mr LAU Kong-wah considered that it would be more practicable to arrange polling staff to work in DC constituency areas ("DCCAs") other than the one where they lived. Ms LAU further opined that any person who provided assistance to an elector in voting in a polling station should be in the presence of a witness.