A Sha Tin Court magistrate has chided the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) over mistakes its officers committed while registering voters.
Andrew Ma asked the officials from REO to work more carefully and seriously, to avoid suspicion of vote-rigging. This came after it was revealed in court that many allegations of voter fraud arose because of mistakes committed by REO staff.
Dozens of people appeared in the court after they were accused of registering false addresses with the REO. However, many cases were dropped after it was revealed that it was the REO employees who had made mistakes while entering the addresses into the database.
However, the court did deal with several suspicious cases. Among them were the names of two deceased people who were registered as voters. Other cases involved residents' addresses being changed without their knowledge.
Many of these cases were adjourned pending further investigation.
The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Raymond Tam, said the government would step up training for REO staff.
Mr Tam also said the administration would do whatever it takes to clamp down on vote-rigging ahead of the district council elections in November.
He added that the government would consider amending electoral laws after the polls, to plug any loopholes in voter registration arrangements.
Andrew Ma asked the officials from REO to work more carefully and seriously, to avoid suspicion of vote-rigging. This came after it was revealed in court that many allegations of voter fraud arose because of mistakes committed by REO staff.
Dozens of people appeared in the court after they were accused of registering false addresses with the REO. However, many cases were dropped after it was revealed that it was the REO employees who had made mistakes while entering the addresses into the database.
However, the court did deal with several suspicious cases. Among them were the names of two deceased people who were registered as voters. Other cases involved residents' addresses being changed without their knowledge.
Many of these cases were adjourned pending further investigation.
The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Raymond Tam, said the government would step up training for REO staff.
Mr Tam also said the administration would do whatever it takes to clamp down on vote-rigging ahead of the district council elections in November.
He added that the government would consider amending electoral laws after the polls, to plug any loopholes in voter registration arrangements.
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1209967-20150907.htm
