Voting begins for HK Council

BEIJING, May 24: Even as latest opinion polls suggested a low voter turnout, Hong Kong residents today started to cast ballots for the first time under Chinese rule, to elect their legislators.

The first Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) consists of 60 members, with 20 to be returned through direct election in geographical constituencies, 30 from functional constituencies and 10 by a 800-member-strong election committee.

Some 2.8 million registered electors can vote in the direct election and more than 1,23,000 of the electors are entitled to a second vote in 18 functional (based on profession) constituencies.