Hong Kong Ordinances

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ORDINANCE - SECT 37

Who is eligible to be nominated as a candidate

(Past version on 11/07/2003).
(Past version on 30/07/1999).
(Past version on 03/10/1997).

(1) A person is eligible to be nominated as a candidate at an election for a
geographical constituency only if the person- (Amended 25 of 2003 s. 20)

   (a)  has reached 21 years of age; and

   (b)  is both registered and eligible to be registered as an elector for a
        geographical constituency; and

   (c)  is not disqualified from being elected as a Member by virtue of
        section 39 or any other law; and

   (d)  has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the 3 years immediately
        preceding the nomination; and

   (e)  is a Chinese citizen who is a permanent resident of Hong Kong with no
        right of abode in any country other than the People's Republic of
        China.

(2) A person is eligible to be nominated as a candidate at an election for a
functional constituency only if the person-

   (a)  has reached 21 years of age; and

   (b)  either-

        (i)    is both registered and eligible to be registered as an elector
               for the constituency; or

        (ii)   satisfies the Returning Officer for the constituency that the
               person has a substantial connection with the constituency; and
               (Replaced 48 of 1999 s. 22)

   (c)  is both registered and eligible to be registered as an elector for a
        geographical constituency; and

   (d)  is not disqualified from being elected as a Member by virtue of
        section 39 or any other law; and

   (e)  has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the 3 years immediately
        preceding the nomination; and

   (f)  except in the case of the 12 functional constituencies specified in
        subsection (3), is a Chinese citizen who is a permanent 
        resident of Hong Kong with no right of abode in any country other than
        the People's Republic of China.

(3) The following 12 functional constituencies are specified for the purposes
of subsection (2)-

   (a)  the legal functional constituency;

   (b)  the accountancy functional constituency;

   (c)  the engineering functional constituency;

   (d)  the architectural, surveying and planning functional  constituency;

   (e)  the real estate and construction functional constituency;

   (f)  the tourism functional constituency;

   (g)  the commercial (first) functional constituency;

   (h)  the industrial (first) functional constituency;

   (i)  the finance functional constituency;

   (j)  the financial services functional constituency;

   (k)  the import and export functional constituency;

   (l)  the insurance functional constituency.

(4) A Member is not eligible to be nominated as a candidate at a by-election.