Related News
45 NPC deputies ‘elected by fraud’
Print Edition
CHINA’S national legislature has declared invalid the election of about half a province’s legislators after it said they obtained their positions through fraud.
The National People’s Congress Standing Committee named 45 deputies from the northeastern province of Liaoning whose elections were fraudulent, out of almost 100 people from Liaoning listed as attending March’s annual meeting of the legislature.
They were elected to their seats in exchange for money or other forms of bribery, it said.
An NPC Standing Committee session that closed yesterday afternoon voted to unseat the 45 NPC deputies, elected from the Liaoning Provincial People’s Congress, for vote buying and bribery during their election in 2013.
Lawmakers also voted yesterday to set up a panel to prepare for a new session of the Liaoning provincial legislature.
A total of 523 deputies to the Liaoning Provincial People’s Congress were implicated in the election fraud and have now either resigned or had their qualification as deputies terminated.
Given that of the 62 members of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning congress, 38 have been disqualified and cease to serve, it is now unable to convene to perform its duties.
Unprecedented since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the situation warrants a creative institutional arrangement in accordance with the constitution and relevant laws, the national legislature said.
The preparatory panel will be formed to exercise some of the standing committee’s functions and powers.
Lawmakers at yesterday’s session agreed the arrangement is “necessary and feasible” and that it respects the spirit of the constitution and principles of the law.
The purpose of yesterday’s session was to “implement decisions of the Communist Party of China Central Committee regarding electoral fraud in Liaoning, and fulfill the duties of the NPC Standing Committee,” according to a previous NPC Standing Committee chairpersons’ meeting.
The NPC Standing Committee usually convenes every two months, but can be provisionally convened when there is a particular demand.
The Liaoning electoral fraud challenged the Chinese political system, and a zero-tolerance approach would be taken toward any offenses in elections, NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang said at the closing ceremony of the 23rd meeting of the 12th NPC Standing Committee.
Thoroughly investigating and dealing with the Liaoning electoral bribery in accordance with the law shows a clear attitude and firm determination to comprehensively implement the rule of law and strengthen Party discipline by the Party’s Central Committee, Zhang said.
The move safeguarded the authority and dignity of the people’s congress system and the socialist rule of law.
Zhang said the electoral fraud exposed weak law enforcement by election organizers and responsible persons, as they turned a blind eye to foul play.
Some candidates used money to manipulate the election, engaging in blatant election fraud, some NPC deputies broke laws and received bribes from candidates as if that was an implicit rule, Zhang said.
He said some NPC officials and staff, though legally aware, still acted as go-betweens for candidates to rig the election.
Zhang cautioned officials to stay vigilant and learn lessons from the case.
Democratically electing deputies is the foundation of the country’s NPC system, said Zhang.
From this year, the NPC at all levels will face a new round of elections, he said, demanding serious reflection on and lessons be drawn from the electoral fraud in Liaoning and an earlier one in Hengyang, Hunan Province, Zhang said.
“The trading of power and money must be eliminated from electoral procedures, and socialist democracy under the rule of law must not be undermined in any form,” Zhang added.
The Party’s leadership over the NPC, especially the deputy election work, must be upheld and elections should be organized in accordance with the law, Zhang added.
Zhang also vowed that a “zero tolerance” approach would be implemented to crack down on the crimes of election rigging and malpractice.
“To ensure clean elections, we will show no mercy and will not forgive those who violate discipline and laws,” the NPC chairman said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
