Hong Kong by-elections for seats vacated in wake of candidate ban row ‘will not be held’ ahead of Legislative Council 2020 polls
- Electoral Affairs Commission set to rule out by-elections for two Legislative Council seats, with full polls coming in September
- Vacancies arose after court ruling against banning candidates over political views and the eventual winners declared ‘not duly elected’
By-elections will not be held to fill seats vacated by ousted lawmakers ahead of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council polls in September.
The Electoral Affairs Commission, as was earlier reported by the Post, has decided not to stage ballots to replace two legislators who were removed after candidates in their races were found to have been wrongly disqualified.
The move means rival camps will not fight a third round of by-elections in as many years over a scandal starting in 2016 about the political stances taken by pro-democracy candidates.
The election watchdog said in a statement on Tuesday that it was not practically possible to hold a bypoll.
“Having taken account of the experience in the preparation for the recent district council elections and having reviewed the practical circumstances, the EAC estimates that it will take more than six months to arrange a by-election to fill the two Legco vacancies concerned,” it said, adding it would exceed the statutory limit where the poll would be held.
