EAC Releases Proposed Guidelines for Election Committee Subsector Elections, Open for Public Consultation Until July 10

Public consultation on Election Committee Subsector Elections proposed guidelines commences

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

The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) today (June 11) released the proposed guidelines on election-related activities in respect of the Election Committee Subsector (ECSS) Elections for public consultation. The consultation will last until July 10.

The 2026 ECSS Ordinary Elections will be held at the end of this year. Before each ECSS Ordinary Elections, the EAC will review and update the guidelines on election-related activities.

The Chairman of the EAC, Mr Justice David Lok, said that these guidelines aim to explain in simple language the subsisting electoral law to remind candidates and other stakeholders of the provisions and requirements under the electoral law; and to promulgate a code of conduct based on the principles of fairness and equality with regard to the election-related activities not stipulated by the law. The EAC has always made its best endeavours to ensure that all public elections are held in an open, honest and fair manner, and formulating electoral guidelines plays an important role in the conduct of elections. The EAC wishes members of the public to actively participate.

The proposed guidelines are prepared on the basis of the existing guidelines for the ECSS elections (July 2021 edition) and the supplementary information compiled in July 2025 for the ECSS By-elections held last year, with appropriate amendments which are mainly composed of four categories: (1) to reflect the latest electoral legislation, such as updating the arrangements regarding the preparation of the ballot paper account and ballot counting; (2) to reflect new or enhanced election-related arrangements, for instance, voters/authorised representatives can check their latest registration particulars and access the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) to check information such as their allocated polling stations via "iAM Smart"; (3) to further elaborate the contents of the guidelines to enable candidates and relevant persons to more easily grasp the areas which they should pay attention to; and (4) to reorganise where appropriate the structure and content of the proposed guidelines by, for example, explaining the relevant electoral arrangements in the form of lists and flowcharts, consolidating the contents of the chapters, etc, with a view to making the proposed guidelines more concise and easier to comprehend.

The proposed guidelines can be downloaded from the EAC website (www.eac.hk), or viewed at the designated offices of the Registration and Electoral Office, the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of all district offices and the major and district public libraries.

Members of the public could submit written representations on the proposed guidelines to the EAC Secretariat by email (eacenq@eac.hk), post (8/F, Treasury Building, 3 Tonkin Street West, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon) or fax (2511 1682) on or before July 10. For written representations submitted by post, the postmark date will be taken as the submission date. Late submissions will not be considered.

For enquiries, please call 2891 1001.

The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Mr Justice David Lok (seventh left), chaired an EAC meeting earlier to discuss the proposed guidelines on election-related activities in respect of the Election Committee Subsector Elections. Also attending the meeting were EAC members Professor Daniel Shek (sixth left) and Mr Bernard Man, SC (fifth left), and the Chief Electoral Officer of the Registration and Electoral Office, Mr Herman Tse (second right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) today (June 11) released the proposed guidelines on election-related activities in respect of the Election Committee Subsector Elections for public consultation. The Chairman of the EAC, Mr Justice David Lok (centre), and EAC members Professor Daniel Shek (left) and Mr Bernard Man, SC (right), welcome views from members of the publ Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing / importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

Three incoming passengers were sentenced to four weeks' to five months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the Magistrates' Courts today (June 11) for possessing or importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 69-year-old female passenger at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on May 28 and seized 181 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her. The estimated market value of the seized cigarettes was about $700, and the duty potential was about $600. She was subsequently arrested. She was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today.

In addition, Customs officers intercepted an incoming 56-year-old male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 10). Customs officers seized about 34 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $140,000 and a duty potential of about $113,000, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to five months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today.

Furthermore, Customs officers on the same day intercepted an incoming 49-year-old female passenger at the airport, seizing 34 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $140,000 and a duty potential of about $112,000, from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. She was sentenced to four months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today.

Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing / importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing / importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing / importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing / importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases