Polling stations prepared for tomorrow's 2025 Election Committee Subsector By-elections in Hong Kong.

EAC Chairman visits polling station and Central Counting Station of Election Committee Subsector By-elections

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:

The 2025 Election Committee Subsector (ECSS) By-elections will be held tomorrow (September 7). The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Mr Justice David Lok, accompanied by the Convenor and Members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), visited the polling station located at the Exhibition Gallery of Hong Kong Central Library, and the Central Counting Station (CCS) and Media Centre located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) this morning (September 6) and appealed to eligible voters to cast their votes tomorrow.

Mr Justice Lok said that the preparatory work for the 2025 ECSS By-elections is ready and the staff members are carrying out final preparations and rehearsals. He thanked the staff members for their efforts so that the By-elections tomorrow would be conducted in an orderly and smooth manner.

There will be 28 candidates contesting a total of 21 seats in six subsectors in the By-elections. Five ordinary polling stations (OPSs) and one dedicated polling station at a police station will be set up for about 3 600 voters/authorised representatives (ARs) of the related subsectors. The polling hours will be from 9am to 6pm. Voters/ARs are reminded to bring the original of their valid Hong Kong identity card to vote at the designated polling station as specified on their poll card.

EAC members Professor Daniel Shek and Mr Bernard Man, SC, also visited the polling stations located at Wai Tsuen Sports Centre and Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre this morning respectively. They then joined Mr Justice Lok in the CCS, who were accompanied by the Convenor and Members of the TAC, to inspect the on-site drill conducted by staff members to ensure a smooth operation of the counting work.

Mr Justice Lok added that the Electronic Poll Register System will continue to be used at OPSs for issuing ballot papers to voters/ARs, so that the issuance process can be conducted accurately and efficiently. Once the poll is closed, all ballot boxes will be delivered to the CCS at the HKCEC where counting of votes will take place. Candidates, election agents and counting agents may enter the CCS and observe the count at designated areas of the counting zone. Members of the public and media may also enter the public area of the CCS to observe the count.

Once the counting of votes is completed, the Returning Officers will declare the election results to the candidates and their agents at the counting zone of the CCS. The Registration and Electoral Office (REO)will also arrange for the Returning Officers to announce again the election results of each subsector on the stage of the Media Centre. Members of the public may observe the process from the designated public area at the Media Centre, which will accommodate approximately 200 seats. Admission will begin at 6pm on the polling day on a first-come, first-served basis until full capacity is reached. To facilitate admission control, all admitted members of the public will be required to wear a wristband provided by the REO for identification purpose.All election results will be published via press releases and the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).

In addition, Mr Justice Lok and the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, also accompanied the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, to visit the polling station at the Exhibition Gallery of Hong Kong Central Library this afternoon to inspect the final preparatory work including the set-up of the venue and rehearsals. The EAC and the REO are fully prepared on all fronts to ensure that the By-elections tomorrow would be conducted orderly and efficiently, in an open, honest and fair manner.

For enquiries, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001 or visit the election website.

EAC Chairman visits polling station and Central Counting Station of Election Committee Subsector By-elections Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

EAC Chairman visits polling station and Central Counting Station of Election Committee Subsector By-elections Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

EAC Chairman visits polling station and Central Counting Station of Election Committee Subsector By-elections Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

EAC Chairman visits polling station and Central Counting Station of Election Committee Subsector By-elections Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

EAC Chairman visits polling station and Central Counting Station of Election Committee Subsector By-elections Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation

The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases