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The Director of Home Affairs will declare by notice in the Gazette tomorrow (June 9) the existence of vacancies in the Islands District Council and Tung Chung Rural Committee (TCRC).
The respective offices held by Mr Law Kam-fai were the posts of ex officio member of the Islands District Council and an elected Indigenous Inhabitant Representative of Shek Lau Po in the TCRC.
In accordance with section 18 of the District Councils Ordinance (Cap. 547) and section 11(1)(b) of the Village Representative Election Ordinance (Cap 576), both offices became vacant on May 29, 2006.
Under the relevant provision in the District Councils Ordinance, a person who is a Chairman of a Rural Committee is disqualified from holding office as an ex officio member if the person is convicted of an offence in Hong Kong or any other place in respect of which the person has been sentenced to imprisonment, whether suspended or not, for a term exceeding three months without the option of a fine.
The Village Representative Election Ordinance also stipulates that a person elected as a Village Representative is disqualified from holding office if the person, after being elected, is convicted in Hong Kong or any other place, of an offence for which the person has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding three months.
Ends/Thursday, June 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:18
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