Asia-Pacific News

Task force set up to investigate vote rigging in Hong Kong

Dec 8, 2011, 11:15 GMT

Hong Kong - Hong Kong's anti-graft agency set up a 20-member task force to look into allegations of vote rigging in district elections last month, a top official said Thursday.

More than 30 people have been arrested so far for alleged corrupt conduct in connection with the November 6 elections. Six have already appeared in court accused of using false residential addresses.

Timothy Tong Hin-min, member of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, said at the opening of a two-day anti-graft workshop that commissioners had received 421 complaints after the election.

He said the task force would look at 'vote planting' allegations whereby voters use false addresses to register.

A record 1.2 million people voted in the elections, which saw pro-Beijing parties strongly outperform pro-democracy parties as more than 400 district councilors were elected.

Hong Kong's district council advise the government on community issues, such as traffic.