Hong Kong's 'Patriots Only' Polls Cuts Number Of Directly Elected Seats

Friday, 17 December 2021Newsdesk

Hong Kong's political elite will pick new city lawmakers on Sunday under Beijing's "patriots only" rules that drastically reduce the number of directly elected seats and control who can run for office. It is the first legislature election overseen by a new political blueprint that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in response to massive and often violent pro-democracy protests two years ago.

New Delhi, 17 December 2021

As per news report of NDTV, Some 4.5 million residents in the city of 7.5 million can vote but their ballots will only decide 20 seats in a 90-person legislature -- down from half under the old system. The majority of seats, 40, will be picked by a select committee of 1,500 staunch Beijing loyalists who make up 0.02 percent of the city's population. A further 30 will be chosen by reliably pro-Beijing committees known as functional constituencies that represent various special-interest and industry groups. Under the new rules, all 153 candidates standing for office have also been vetted for their political loyalty and patriotism.

Source - NDTV