View source for Legislative Council of Hong Kong

{{Short description|Legislature of Hong Kong}}{{About|2=the current Legislative Council|3=7th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|4=the list of prior sessions|5=List of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong{{!}}List}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name               = Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| native_name        = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-Hant-HK|香港特別行政區立法會}}}}
| transcription_name =
| legislature        = [[7th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|7th Legislative Council]] (prorogated)
| logo_pic           = Logo of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.svg
|logo_res=150| background_color   = 
| preceded_by        = [[Provisional Legislative Council]]
| session_room       = Legislative Council Complex 2011 Chamber.JPG 
| house_type         = Unicameral
| houses             =
| foundation         = {{ubl|{{Start date and age|1843|6|26|df=y}} ([[British Hong Kong|colonial]])|{{Start date and age|1997|1|25|df=y}} ([[Provisional Legislative Council|provisional]])|{{Start date and age|1998|7|1|df=y}} ([[Special administrative regions of China|HKSAR]])}}
| committees1       = 
| leader1_type       = [[President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong|President]]
| leader1            = [[Andrew Leung]]
| party1             = [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|BPA]] 
| election1          = 12 October 2016
| members            = 90
| structure1         = <!-- Current Legislative Council of Hong Kong seat composition by party.svg -->
| structure1_res     = 250px
| political_groups1  = {{glossary}} <!-- PROROGATED 
 {{term|[[Pro-Beijing camp (Hong Kong)|Pro-Beijing]] (88)}}
 {{defn|{{unbulleted list
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong}}|border=darkgray}} [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]] (19)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong}}|border=darkgray}} [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|BPA]] (8)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions}}|border=darkgray}} [[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions|FTU]] (7)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|New People's Party (Hong Kong)}}|border=darkgray}} [[New People's Party (Hong Kong)|NPP]] (6)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Party (Hong Kong)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Liberal Party (Hong Kong)|Liberal]] (4)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers}}|border=darkgray}} [[Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers|FEW]] (2)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions}}|border=darkgray}} [[Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions|FLU]] (2)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Roundtable (Hong Kong)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Roundtable (Hong Kong)|Roundtable]] (1)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Professional Power}}|border=darkgray}} [[Professional Power|PP]] (1)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Kowloon West New Dynamic}}|border=darkgray}} [[Kowloon West New Dynamic|KWND]] (1)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|New Prospect for Hong Kong}}|border=darkgray}} [[New Prospect for Hong Kong|New Prospect]] (1)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|New Century Forum}}|border=darkgray}} [[New Century Forum|New Forum]] (1)
  | {{Color box|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] (35)}}}}
 {{term|[[Centrist camp|Centrist]] (1)}}
 {{defn|{{unbulleted list
 | {{Color box|{{party color|Third Side}}|border=darkgray}} [[Third Side]] (1)}}}}
 {{term|Vacant (1)}}
{{glossary end}} -->
| voting_system1 = {{ubl|[[Multiple non-transferable vote]] ([[Election Committee (constituency)|EC]])|[[First-past-the-post]] ([[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|FCs]])|[[Single non-transferable vote]] ([[Geographical constituency|GCs]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.gov.hk/legco2021/eng/brief.html |title= 2021 Legislative Council General Election - Election Brief |publisher=Elections.gov.hk }}</ref>}}
| last_election3    = [[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|19 December 2021]]
| next_election3    = [[2025 Hong Kong legislative election|7 December 2025]]
| meeting_place     = [[Legislative Council Complex]], 1 Legislative Council Road, [[Tamar, Hong Kong|Tamar]], [[Central & Western District]], [[Hong Kong]]
| website           = {{URL|https://www.legco.gov.hk|legco.gov.hk}}
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| t = 香港特別行政區立法會
| s = 香港特别行政区立法会
| j = hoeng1 gong2 dak6 bit6 hang4 zing3 keoi1 lap6 faat3 wui6
| y = Hēung góng dahk biht hàhng jing kēui laahp faat wúih
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|h|oeng|1|-|g|ong|2|-|d|ak|6|-|b|it|6|-|h|ang|4|-|z|ing|3|-|k|eoi|1|-|l|ap|6|-|f|aat|3|-|w|ui|6}}
| p = Xiānggǎng Tèbiéxíngzhèngqū Lìfǎhuì
| tp = Sianggǎng Tè-bié-síng-jhèng-cyu Lì-fǎ-huèi
| w = {{tone superscript|Hsiang1-kang2 T}}{{wg-apos}}{{tone superscript|e4-pieh2 Hsing2-cheng4-ch}}{{wg-apos}}{{tone superscript|ü1 Li4-fa3 Hui4}}
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|x|iang|1|.|g|ang|3|-|t|e|4|.|b|ie|2|.|x|ing|2|.|zh|eng|4|.|qu|1|-|l|i|4|.|f|a|3|.|h|ui|4}}
| bpmf = ㄒㄧㄤ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄍㄤˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄊㄜˋ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄅㄧㄝˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄒㄧㄥˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄓㄥˋ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄑㄩ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄌㄧˋ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄈㄚˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄏㄨㄟˋ
| altname = Legislative Council
| t2 = 立法會
| s2 = 立法会
| p2 = Lìfǎhuì
| tp2 = Lì-fǎ-huèi
| w2 = {{tone superscript|Li4-fa3-hui4}}
| mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|l|i|4|.|f|a|3|.|h|ui|4}}
| bpmf2 = ㄌㄧˋ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄈㄚˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄏㄨㄟˋ
| j2 = laap6 faat3 wui5
| y2 = Laahp faat wúih
| ci2 = {{IPAc-yue|l|ap|6|-|f|aat|3|-|w|ui|6}}
| altname3 = Name before 1997
| c3 = 立法局
| p3 = Lìfǎjú
| tp3 = Lì-fǎ-jyú
| w3 = {{tone superscript|Li4-fa3-chü2}}
| mi3 = {{IPAc-cmn|l|i|4|.|f|a|3|.|ju|2}}
| bpmf3 = ㄌㄧˋ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄈㄚˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄐㄩˊ
| j3 = laap6 faat3 guk6
| y3 = Laahp faat guhk
| ci3 = {{IPAc-yue|l|ap|6|-|f|aat|3|-|g|uk|6}}
| pic = LegCo.jpg
| piccap = The [[Legislative Council Complex]] since 2011
}}
[[File:Legislative Council Building HK.jpg|thumb|[[Old Supreme Court Building, Hong Kong|The Legislative Council Building]] (1985–2011)]]
[[File:HK CentralGovernmentOffices MainWing Wholeview.JPG|thumb|Central Government Offices, home to LegCo from the 1950s to 1985]]
[[File:Court of Final Appeal (HK).jpg|thumb|The [[Former French Mission Building|French Mission Building]] housed LegCo in the 1840s]]
{{Politics of Hong Kong}}
{{geoGroup}}

The '''Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region''', colloquially known as '''LegCo''', is the [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] legislature of [[Hong Kong]]. It follows [[People's Republic of China|China's]] [[one country, two systems]] constitutional arrangement, and is the power centre of Hong Kong's [[hybrid regime|hybrid representative democracy]], though popular representation in the legislature has diminished in recent years.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-03|title=Hong Kong downgraded from 'flawed democracy' to 'hybrid regime' as city drops 12 places in Economist's democracy index|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2021/02/03/hong-kong-downgraded-from-flawed-democracy-to-hybrid-regime-as-city-drops-12-places-in-economists-democracy-index/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-05-27 |title=Hong Kong electoral reform: LegCo passes 'patriots' law |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57236775 |access-date=2023-01-16 |archive-date=19 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241119200325/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57236775 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The functions of the Legislative Council are to enact, amend or repeal laws; examine and approve budgets, taxation and public expenditure; and raise questions on the work of the government. In addition, the Legislative Council has the power to endorse the appointment and removal of the judges of the [[Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal]] and the Chief Judge of the [[High Court of Hong Kong|High Court]], as well as the power to impeach the [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]].<ref name="today">{{cite web|title=LegCo Today|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/intro/about_lc.htm|work=Legislative Council Commission|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-date=8 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908050444/http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/intro/about_lc.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Official History" />

Following the [[2019–2020 Hong Kong protests]], the [[National People's Congress]] disqualified several opposition councillors and initiated an [[2021 Hong Kong electoral changes|electoral overhaul]] in 2021. The current Legislative Council consists of three groups of constituencies—[[Geographical constituency|geographical constituencies]] (GCs), [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]] (FCs), and [[Election Committee (constituency)|Election Committee constituencies]]—and has been dominated by the [[Pro-Beijing camp (Hong Kong)|pro-Beijing camp]] since an opposition walkout in 2020.<ref name="bbc-20210527">{{Cite news|date=27 May 2021|title=Hong Kong electoral reform: LegCo passes 'patriots' law|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57236775|quote=... the Legislative Council (LegCo), which has been dominated by pro-Beijing lawmakers since a mass opposition walkout last year.... While overall seats will increase from 70 to 90, the number of directly elected representatives will fall from 35 to 20.|archive-date=19 November 2024|access-date=5 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241119200325/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57236775|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2021 changes resulted in a drop in the share of directly elected representatives from 50% to 22% and an increase in the overall number of seats from 70 to 90, along with the establishment of a [[Electoral College|screening committee]] to vet candidates.<ref name="bbc-20210527" /> Since 2021, it is widely considered to be a rubber-stamp legislature due to the lack of opposition representatives and its frequent passing of laws with minimal discussion.

The original two groups (GCs and FCs) had constitutional significance. Government bills requires a simple majority of the council for passage, whereas private member bills requires simple majorities in two discrete [[Division of the assembly|divisions]] of geographical members and functional members for passage. Therefore, the directly elected legislators (mainly from the GCs) had minimal influence over government policy and legislative agenda.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

The historical '''Legislative Council of Hong Kong''' in the [[British Hong Kong|British colonial era]] was created under the 1843 Charter as an advisory council to the [[Governor of Hong Kong|Governor]]. The authority of the colonial legislature expanded throughout its history.<ref name="Official History" /> A parallel [[Provisional Legislative Council]] was put in place by China from 1996 to 1998 to pass laws in anticipation of the Hong Kong handover.

==History==
{{Moresources|section|date=August 2023}}
===Colonial period===
The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 for the first time as a colonial legislature under British rule. Hong Kong's first constitution,<ref name="Official History"/> in the form of [[Queen Victoria]]'s [[letters patent]], issued on 27 June 1843 and titled the [[Hong Kong Letters Patent|Charter of the Colony of Hong Kong]], authorised the establishment of the Legislative Council to advise the [[Governor of Hong Kong]]'s administration. The council had four official members including the governor who was [[President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong|president of the council]] when it was first established. The Letters Patent of 1888, which replaced the 1843 charter, added the significant words "and consent" after the words "with the advice".<ref name="Official History">{{cite web |title = History of the Legislature |website = Legislative Council |url = http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/intro/hist_lc.htm |access-date = 30 April 2013 |archive-date = 9 December 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151209222437/http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/intro/hist_lc.htm |url-status = live }}</ref> The Legislative Council was initially set up as the advisory body to the governor, and for most of the time, consisted half of official members, who were the government officials seated in the council, and half of [[Unofficial Member|unofficial members]] who were appointed by the [[Governor of Hong Kong|Governor]].

After the [[Sino-British Joint Declaration]] was signed on 19 December 1984 (in which the United Kingdom agreed to the handover of Hong Kong to the [[People's Republic of China]] on 1 July 1997), the Hong Kong government decided to start the process of democratisation based on the consultative document, ''[[Green Paper: the Further Development of Representative Government in Hong Kong]]'' on 18 July 1984.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/procedur/companion/chapter_3/chapter_3.html |title = A Companion to the history, rules and practices of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Part I: An introduction to the Legislative Council, its history, organisation and procedure - Chapter 3 |work = Legislative Council Commission |access-date = 19 October 2016 |archive-date = 20 May 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230520092322/https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/procedur/companion/chapter_3/chapter_3.html |url-status = live }}</ref> 

The first elections to the Council [[1985 Hong Kong legislative election|were held in 1985]], followed by the [[1991 Hong Kong legislative election|first direct elections of the Legislative Council]] held in 1991. The Legislative Council became a [[1995 Hong Kong legislative election|fully elected legislature]] for the first time in 1995 and extensively expanded its functions and organisations throughout the last years of the colonial rule.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/intro/hist_lc.htm |title=HISTORY OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |website=Legislative Council of Hong Kong |access-date=19 October 2016 |archive-date=4 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004032926/https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/intro/hist_lc.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The People's Republic of China government did not agree with [[1994 Hong Kong electoral reform|reforms to the Legislative Council]] enacted by the last Governor [[Chris Patten]] in 1994. Therefore, it withdrew the previous so-called "through-train" policy that would have allowed for members elected to the colonial Legislative Council automatically becoming members of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) legislature. Instead, the Beijing government resolved to set up an alternative legislative council in preparation for the return of Hong Kong sovereignty from Britain to China.

Before the 1997 [[handover of Hong Kong]], rather than working through the [[1995 Hong Kong legislative election|1995 elected colonial legislature]], the government of China, through the [[Preparatory Committee for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region]] (HKSAR), unilaterally established, in 1996, the [[Provisional Legislative Council]] (PLC) in Shenzhen, under the [[National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr97-98/english/est/estab.htm|title=Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - The Establishment of the Provisional Legislative Council|work=The Legislative Council Commission|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001053/http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr97-98/english/est/estab.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The Provisional Legislative Council, seen as unconstitutional by the British authorities and boycotted by most [[pro-democracy camp|pro-democracy legislators]], was in operation from 25 January 1997 to 30 June 1998 and held its meetings in [[Shenzhen]] until 30 June 1997, when the PLC moved to Hong Kong and replaced the elected legislature from the 1997 [[handover of Hong Kong]] until the [[1998 Hong Kong legislative election]]. Since 2000, the terms of the Legislative Council have been four years, with the exception of the [[6th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|6th Legislative Council]].

===Early SAR years===
The current HKSAR Legislative Council was established on 1 October 1998 under the [[Hong Kong Basic Law]]. The first meeting of the council was held in July of the same year. Five subsequent Legislative Council elections have been held — the most recent being held on [[2016 Hong Kong legislative election|4 September 2016]]. The [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] had briefly held the largest-party status in the early years of the SAR period, but its support was slowly eaten away by its pro-democracy allies such as [[The Frontier (Hong Kong)|The Frontier]] and later the [[Civic Party]]. In the [[2004 Hong Kong legislative election|2004 election]], the [[pro-Beijing camp|pro-Beijing]] [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong]] (DAB) surpassed the Democrats as the largest party for the first time and has since held its superior status. Due to the indirectly elected trade-based [[functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]] which largely favour business interests — represented by the [[Liberal Party (Hong Kong)|Liberal Party]] and subsequently the [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong]] (BPA) — the pro-Beijing camp has been able to keep the majority in the legislature despite receiving fewer votes than the pro-democracy bloc in the direct elections.

Article 68 of the [[Hong Kong Basic Law]] states that the ultimate aim is the election of all the members of the Legislative Council by [[universal suffrage]]. This and a [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 45|similar article dealing with election of the Chief Executive]] have made universal suffrage for the council and the Chief Executive a dominant issue in Hong Kong politics.

In 2010, the [[2010 Hong Kong electoral reform|government's constitutional reform proposal]] became the first and only constitutional move to have been passed by the Legislative Council in the SAR era with the support of the Democratic Party after the Beijing government accepted the modified package as presented by the party, which increased the composition of the Legislative Council from 60 to 70 seats; adding five seats in the directly elected [[geographical constituencies]] and five new [[District Council (Second)]] functional constituency seats which are nominated by the [[District Councils of Hong Kong|District Councillors]] and elected by all registered electorates.<ref name=cheers>Cheung, Gary; Wong, Albert &  Fung, Fanny (25 June 2010) "Cheers and jeers for political reform vote", ''South China Morning Post''</ref> The [[2014 Hong Kong electoral reform]] proposal, which suggested the electoral method of the Legislative Council remain unchanged, was vetoed in 2015, after a massive occupation protest demanding universal suffrage — often dubbed the "[[Umbrella Revolution]]" — broke out in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/18/asia/hong-kong-reform-vote/index.html|title=Hong Kong legislators reject China-backed reform bill|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=19 June 2015|access-date=19 June 2015|archive-date=19 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319001757/https://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/18/asia/hong-kong-reform-vote/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[2016 New Territories East by-election]] and [[2016 Hong Kong legislative election|September general election]] saw the [[localism in Hong Kong|rise of localist tide]] where a number of pro-independence candidates were elected to the council. In November, in Beijing's fifth interpretation of the Basic Law since the 1997 handover, the [[National People's Congress Standing Committee]] (NPCSC) [[Hong Kong Legislative Council oath-taking controversy|disqualified]] two pro-independence legislators from assuming public office pursuant to [[Hong Kong Basic Law#Interpretation|Article 104]].<ref name="BasicLaw2021May" /><ref>{{cite news|title=BREAKING: Beijing's legislature passes unanimous ruling to interpret Hong Kong's mini-constitution over oath saga|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/11/07/breaking-beijings-legislature-passes-unanimous-ruling-to-interpret-hong-kongs-mini-constitution-over-oath-saga/|work=Hong Kong Free Press|date=7 November 2016}}</ref> Four more pro-democracy and localist legislators were unseated in subsequent court cases.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hong Kong lawmaker disqualification ruling 'opens huge floodgate', lawyers say|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2102737/hong-kong-lawmaker-disqualification-ruling-opens-huge|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=15 July 2017|archive-date=9 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109015100/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2102737/hong-kong-lawmaker-disqualification-ruling-opens-huge|url-status=live}}</ref> Returning officers also disqualified certain candidates who had advocated for Hong Kong self-determination, with or without option for independence, from running in the following by-elections; the government expressed support for such decisions.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hong Kong's leader rejects foreign criticism over barring of democracy activist Agnes Chow from legislative by-election|date=30 January 2018|newspaper=South China Morning Post|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2131168/european-union-leads-chorus-disapproval-over-decision-bar|archive-date=1 April 2018|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401050822/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2131168/european-union-leads-chorus-disapproval-over-decision-bar|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ousted pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmaker Lau Siu-lai barred from Kowloon West Legislative Council by-election|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=12 October 2018|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2168359/ousted-pro-democracy-hong-kong-lawmaker-lau-siu-lai-barred|archive-date=3 August 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803140939/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2168359/ousted-pro-democracy-hong-kong-lawmaker-lau-siu-lai-barred|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2019 crisis and 2021 overhaul===
{{See also|2019-2020 Hong Kong protests}}
The [[2019 Hong Kong extradition bill|2019 amendment of the extradition bill]] caused an historic political upheaval, where [[2019 Hong Kong protests|intensive protests]] erupted throughout the city in the latter half of the year, including the [[storming of the Legislative Council Complex]] on the 22nd anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong on 1 July.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hong Kong protesters smash up legislature in direct challenge to China |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-extradition/hong-kong-protesters-smash-up-legislature-in-direct-challenge-to-china-idUSKCN1TV0YE |access-date=1 July 2019 |work=Reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701141751/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-extradition/hong-kong-protesters-smash-up-legislature-in-direct-challenge-to-china-idUSKCN1TV0YE |archive-date=1 July 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2020, in light of the pro-democrats' attempt to seize the majority of the Legislative Council in the midst of the largely unpopular [[Carrie Lam as Chief Executive of Hong Kong|Carrie Lam government]], the government [[postponement of the 2020 Hong Kong legislative election|postponed the seventh general election]], citing the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong|COVID-19 spike]]. At variance with the four-year term set out in the Basic Law, the NPCSC decided in August that the sitting Legislative Council should continue with its duties for at least one year; however, the term of the upcoming LegCo would remain four years.<ref name="BasicLaw2021May" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Beijing decides current Hong Kong lawmakers can remain on until postponed election|date=11 August 2020|work=Hong Kong Free Press|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2020/08/11/beijing-decides-current-hong-kong-lawmakers-can-remain-on-until-postponed-election/|archive-date=13 September 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913062710/https://hongkongfp.com/2020/08/11/beijing-decides-current-hong-kong-lawmakers-can-remain-on-until-postponed-election/|url-status=live}}</ref> In a November decision, the NPCSC disqualified LegCo members on grounds such as Hong Kong independence, Chinese sovereignty, and solicitation of foreign intervention, impacting four sitting legislators [[2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council candidates' disqualification controversy|whose candidacies had been invalidated]] in the postponed election.<ref name="BasicLaw2021May" /> After the disqualification, the 15 remaining pro-democracy legislators [[2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council mass resignations|announced their resignation in protest]], leaving the legislature with virtually no opposition.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Hong Kong's pro-democracy legislators to resign en masse |language=en |work=Aljazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/11/hong-kongs-pro-democracy-legislators-resign-en-masse |access-date=2020-11-11 |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111094707/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/11/hong-kongs-pro-democracy-legislators-resign-en-masse |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 27 January 2021, [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party|CCP general secretary]] [[Xi Jinping]] said that Hong Kong could only maintain its long-term stability and security by ensuring "patriots governing Hong Kong" when he reviewed a work report delivered by [[Carrie Lam]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Xi Focus: Xi stresses "patriots governing Hong Kong" when hearing Carrie Lam's work report|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-01/27/c_139702049.htm|date=27 January 2021|work=Xinhua|access-date=25 November 2021|archive-date=22 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122182806/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-01/27/c_139702049.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2021, China's [[National People's Congress]] passed a [[2021 Hong Kong electoral reform|resolution that authorised an overhaul of Hong Kong's electoral system]], including that of the Legislative Council.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=China approves Hong Kong election overhaul bill|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/China-People-s-Congress/China-approves-Hong-Kong-election-overhaul-bill|access-date=2021-03-12|website=Nikkei Asia|language=en-GB|archive-date=12 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312112611/https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/China-People-s-Congress/China-approves-Hong-Kong-election-overhaul-bill|url-status=live}}</ref> The reform would allow a new Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, composed entirely of principal officials from the Hong Kong government, to vet candidates for the Legislative Council and would increase its total number of seats from 70 to 90.<ref name="scmp-20210330" /> However, the seats that were directly elected would be reduced from 35 to 20, the five directly elected District Council (Second) seats would also be removed, while an additional 40 seats would be [[Election Committee (constituency)|elected by]] the pro-Beijing [[Election Committee (Hong Kong)|Election Committee]] and 30 seats would remain trade-based functional constituencies. Every candidate must have nominations from each of the five sectors in the Election Committee.<ref name="scmp-20210330">{{Cite web|date=2021-03-30|title=December date for Hong Kong Legco polls, key role for new chief convenor|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3127563/sweeping-changes-hong-kongs-electoral-system-approved|access-date=2021-04-09|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|quote=... the Election Committee, which was expected to be filled by Beijing-loyalists.... The new members will include patriotic groups and members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) to further reinforce the pro-establishment camp’s control of the body.|archive-date=30 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330144556/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3127563/sweeping-changes-hong-kongs-electoral-system-approved|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=China formalises sweeping electoral shake-up for Hong Kong, demands loyalty|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-parliament-hongkong-committee-idUSKBN2BM0DS|access-date=2021-04-09|archive-date=10 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410132716/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-parliament-hongkong-committee-idUSKBN2BM0DS|url-status=live}}</ref>

The seventh Legislative Council term, beginning in January 2022, made changes where lawmakers' names were replaced with "a member" or "members" in meeting minutes, a change which the [[Hong Kong Journalists Association]] said "would make it more difficult for the public to hold lawmakers accountable, and therefore affect how voters may vote."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Candice |date=2023-01-18 |title=Hong Kong press group slams omission of lawmakers' names from legislature meeting minutes |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2023/01/18/hong-kong-press-group-slams-omission-of-lawmakers-names-from-legislature-meeting-minutes/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}</ref> Additionally, the Chinese national emblem was installed in the chamber above the Hong Kong emblem for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-03 |title=立法會會議廳將同時懸掛國徽及區徽 |url=https://news.now.com/home/local/player?newsId=462076 |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=Now 新聞 |language=zh-hk |archive-date=13 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813033013/https://news.now.com/home/local/player?newsId=462076 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2023, a survey found that half of Hongkongers were unable to name any serving lawmaker, with another 12% naming somebody not a current lawmaker.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mok |first=Lea |date=2023-04-14 |title=Half of Hongkongers unable to name any serving lawmaker, poll finds |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2023/04/14/half-of-hongkongers-unable-to-name-any-serving-lawmaker-poll-finds/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In May 2023, the Legislative Council voted with 100% approval to let the chief executive restrict overseas lawyers from national security cases, following attempts by the government to block [[Jimmy Lai]] from hiring [[Tim Owen (barrister)|Tim Owen]] as his defense lawyer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Candice |date=2023-05-10 |title=Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously vote to let city leader restrict overseas lawyers from national security cases |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2023/05/10/hong-kong-lawmakers-unanimously-vote-to-let-city-leader-restrict-overseas-lawyers-from-national-security-cases/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In September 2023, a report found that at least 66% of all bills that were passed were done with less than half of all Legislative Council members present, below the 50% attendance threshold for a quorum.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-05 |title=Hong Kong lawmakers have 'ears wide open' to feedback, John Lee insists |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3233449/hong-kong-lawmakers-have-ears-wide-open-feedback-john-lee-insists-amid-controversy-over-performance |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |archive-date=20 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250720165740/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3233449/hong-kong-lawmakers-have-ears-wide-open-feedback-john-lee-insists-amid-controversy-over-performance |url-status=live }}</ref>

==The Legislative Council Building==
{{Main|Legislative Council Complex}}
The first meetings of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, from 1844 to 1846, were likely convened in the residence of Governor Pottinger (later to be the French Mission Building), still standing at Government Hill. From 1848 to 1954 (interrupted by renovation in 1928-9 and the Japanese occupation in 1941–5), it was housed on the upper floor of the Colonial Secretariat Building, Lower Albert Road, replaced in 1957 by the Annex to the Central Government Offices Main Wing, on the same site.<ref name="Heritage Impact Assessment">{{cite web|title=Heritage Impact Assessment|work=LWK Conservation Ltd|url=http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/159meeting/AAB%2040%202011-12%20%28Annex%20C%29.pdf|access-date=11 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031045705/http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/159meeting/AAB%2040%202011-12%20%28Annex%20C%29.pdf|archive-date=31 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1985, LegCo moved down to the nearby [[Old Supreme Court Building, Hong Kong|Old Supreme Court building]] ({{coord|22.280996|N|114.160116|E|region:HK_type:landmark|display=inline|format=dms}}) in [[Central and Western District|Central Hong Kong]] where it remained until November 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr02-03/english/sec/library/0203in26e.pdf|title=The Legislative Council Building|work=Legislative Council Secretariat|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235750/http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr02-03/english/sec/library/0203in26e.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> It took up residence in its present accommodation at the Legislative Block of the [[Central Government Complex, Tamar]] in December 2011.

Unlike many other former and current Commonwealth legislatures, the Hong Kong Legislative Council does not have a [[ceremonial mace]] placed in its chambers. However, the high courts of Hong Kong use a mace to open sessions, and it represents the authority and powers of the court.

To provide a long-term solution to the space shortage problem facing both the Government and the Legislative Council, the Government commissioned the Tamar Development for the design and construction of the [[Central Government Complex, Tamar|Central Government Complex]], the [[Legislative Council Complex]] and other ancillary facilities in 2008. The Legislative Council Complex comprises a low block and a high block: the low block, which will be named the Council Block, mainly houses conference facilities including the Chamber, major conference rooms, and communal facilities such as library, cafeteria and education facilities. The range of education facilities for visit by the public includes video corner, visitors' sharing area, exhibition area, children's corner, viewing gallery and access corridors, memory lane, education activities rooms and education galleries. The high block, which will be named as the Office Block, mainly houses offices for members and staff of the Legislative Council Secretariat. Officially opened on 1 August 2011, administrative staff had already taken occupation on 15 January 2011.

==Membership composition==
[[File:Changes to the composition of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.svg|thumb|right|upright=2|Changes to the composition of the Legislative Council:<br />
'''2016 composition (70 seats)'''
{{legend|#FFD701|Directly elected [[geographical constituencies]] (35)}}
{{legend|#008000|Nominated by [[District Councils of Hong Kong|District Councillors]], directly elected [[District Council (Second)]] [[functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituency]] (5)}}
{{legend|#000080|Indirectly elected trade-based functional constituencies (30)}}

'''2021 composition (90 seats)'''
{{legend|#FFD701|Directly elected [[geographical constituencies]] (20)}}
{{legend|#000080|Indirectly elected trade-based functional constituencies (30)}}
{{legend|#FF0000|Newly created [[Election Committee (constituency)|Election Committee constituency]] (40)}}
]]

Under the [[2021 Hong Kong electoral changes]] initiated by the [[National People's Congress]], the Legislative Council is now composed of 90 members returned from 3 constituencies: the [[Election Committee (constituency)|Election Committee Constituency]], [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|Functional Constituencies]] and [[Geographical constituency|Geographical Constituencies]] by popular vote.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Composition of the Legislative Council (2022-)
|-
! !! No. of Members !! Returned by !! Voting Method !! No. of Voters ([[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|2021]])
|-
| [[Election Committee (constituency)|Election Committee Constituency]] || 40 || Members of the Election Committee || [[Plurality block voting]] || 1,448
|-
| [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|Functional Constituencies]] || 30 || Members of specified associations or professions || [[First-past-the-post voting]] / [[Plurality block voting]] || 210,675 (individual voters);<br/>8,579 (body voters)
|-
| [[Geographical constituency|Geographical Constituencies]] || 20 || Direct elections || [[Single non-transferable vote]] || 4,472,863
|}

The term of office of a member is constitutionally four years except for the first term (1998 to 2000) which was set to be two years according to Article 69 of the [[Basic Law of Hong Kong|Basic Law]]. The [[6th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|6th Legislative Council]]'s term of office of over five years from 2016 is in direct violation of Article 69 of the Basic Law.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

In both the 2008 and 2004 elections, 30 members were directly elected by [[universal suffrage]] from geographical constituencies (GCs) and 30 were elected from functional constituencies (FCs). In the 2000 election, 24 were directly elected, six elected from an 800-member [[electoral college]] known as the [[Election Committee of Hong Kong]], and 30 elected from FCs. Since the 2004 election, all the seats are equally divided between geographical and functional constituencies.

According to The Basic Law, while the method for forming the Legislative Council shall be specified in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress, the ultimate aim is to elect all Council members by [[universal suffrage]] ([[Article 68 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong|Article 68 of The Basic Law of Hong Kong]]). However, under the 2021 overhaul, the seats that were directly elected would be reduced from 35 back down to 20, the five directly elected District Council (Second) seats would also be removed, while an additional 40 seats would be elected by the Beijing-controlled Election Committee and 30 seats would remain trade-based functional constituencies, reducing the proportion of directly elected seats from 50% to 22%. Additionally all candidates must now be approved by the HKSAR government via the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee. This has led to all parties that are not pro-Beijing declining to run in the elections, as it is now reasonable to assume that any pro-democracy candidates fielded that might be electable will be disqualified prior to the election.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

{{Members of the 7th HK LegCo vertical}}

===Geographical constituencies===
{{Main|Geographical constituency}}

The Geographical Constituency (GC) seats are returned by [[universal suffrage]]. 20 seats of the Legislative Council are returned by GCs through [[single non-transferable vote]] with a district magnitude of 2 ("binomial system"). The binomial system was instituted by the [[Standing Committee of the National People's Congress]] in its amendment to Annex 2 of the [[Hong Kong Basic Law|Basic Law]] on 30 March 2021.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Geographical constituency
!Number of voters<ref>{{cite web |title=No. of electors in the 2021 final registers |url=https://www.voterregistration.gov.hk/eng/statistic2021.html |website=Registration and Electoral Office |access-date=4 February 2022 |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204062926/https://www.voterregistration.gov.hk/eng/statistic2021.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
!Number of seats
!Voting system
|-
|[[Hong Kong Island East (2021 constituency)|Hong Kong Island East]]
|424,849
| rowspan="10" |2
| rowspan="10" |[[Single non-transferable vote]]
|-
|[[Hong Kong Island West (2021 constituency)|Hong Kong Island West]]
|374,795
|-
|[[Kowloon East (2021 constituency)|Kowloon East]]
|475,223
|-
|[[Kowloon West (2021 constituency)|Kowloon West]]
|381,484
|-
|[[Kowloon Central (2021 constituency)|Kowloon Central]]
|454,595
|-
|[[New Territories South East (2021 constituency)|New Territories South East]]
|472,751
|-
|[[New Territories North (2021 constituency)|New Territories North]]
|431,604
|-
|[[New Territories North West (2021 constituency)|New Territories North West]]
|468,752
|-
|[[New Territories South West (2021 constituency)|New Territories South West]]
|510,558
|-
|[[New Territories North East (2021 constituency)|New Territories North East]]
|478,252
|}
Geographical constituencies were first introduced in Hong Kong's first legislative election with direct elections in [[1991 Hong Kong legislative election|1991]]. The electoral system and boundaries of GCs have since changed:
{| class="wikitable"
!Election Year
!Voting system 
!Number of constituencies
!District magnitude
!Total number of GC seats
!Proportion of LegCo seats
|-
|[[1991 Hong Kong legislative election|1991]]
|[[plurality-at-large voting|Plurality-at-large]]
|9 constituencies
|2 seats 
|18 seats
|29.5%
|-
|[[1995 Hong Kong legislative election|1995]]
|[[First-past-the-post voting]] 
|20 constituencies
|1 seat 
|20 seats
|33.3%
|-
|[[1998 Hong Kong legislative election|1998]]
| rowspan="6" |[[Proportional representation]]
<small>([[Largest remainder method]]: [[Hare quota]])</small>
| rowspan="6" |5 constituencies
| rowspan="6" |3-9 seats
|20 seats
|33.3%
|-
|[[2000 Hong Kong legislative election|2000]]
|24 seats
|40%
|-
|[[2004 Hong Kong legislative election|2004]]
| rowspan="2" |30 seats
| rowspan="2" |50%
|-
|[[2008 Hong Kong legislative election|2008]]
|-
|[[2012 Hong Kong legislative election|2012]]
| rowspan="2" |35 seats
| rowspan="2" |50%
|-
|[[2016 Hong Kong legislative election|2016]]
|-
|[[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|2021]]
|[[Single non-transferable vote]] 
|10 constituencies
|2 seats
|20 seats
|22.2%
|}

[[File:Hong Kong LegCo vote share (1991–2021).png|380px|right|thumb|Vote share of Hong Kong political parties, 1991–2021]]
Between 1998 and 2016, the voting system adopted in GCs is a system of [[party-list proportional representation]], with seats allocated by the [[largest remainder method]] using the [[Hare quota]] as the quota for election.

{| class="wikitable"
|- <!-- border=1-->
! rowspan=2|[[Geographical constituency|Geographical constituencies]] !! colspan=7|No. of Seats
|-align=right
![[1998 Hong Kong legislative election|1998]]!! [[2000 Hong Kong legislative election|2000]]!![[2004 Hong Kong legislative election|2004]]!![[2008 Hong Kong legislative election|2008]]!![[2012 Hong Kong legislative election|2012]]!![[2016 Hong Kong legislative election|2016]]
|- align=right
|align=left|[[Hong Kong Island (1998 constituency)|Hong Kong Island]]||4|||5||6||6||7||6
|- align=right
|align=left|[[Kowloon East (1998 constituency)|Kowloon East]]||3||4||5||4||5||5
|- align=right
|align=left|[[Kowloon West (1998 constituency)|Kowloon West]]||3||4||4||5||5||6
|- align=right
|align=left|[[New Territories East (1998 constituency)|New Territories East]]||5||5||7||7||9||9
|- align=right
|align=left|[[New Territories West (1998 constituency)|New Territories West]]||5||6||8||8||9||9
|- align=right
|align=left|'''Total'''||20||24||30||30||35||35
|}

===Functional constituencies===
Under the [[2021 Hong Kong electoral changes]], 28 functional constituencies (FC) return 30 members. The [[Labour (constituency)|Labour Functional Constituency]] returns three members by [[block voting]]. The other FCs return one member each with [[first-past-the-post voting]].

The 2021 electoral reform saw the dissolution of [[District Council (First)]] and [[District Council (Second)]] FCs. Three existing FCs were reconstituted: the Information Technology FC reorganised as the [[Technology and Innovation (constituency)|Technology & Innovation FC]]; the Medical FC and Health Services FC combined to form the Medical and Health Services FC. Two new FCs were established, namely the [[Commercial (Third)]] and the [[HKSAR Deputies to the National People's Congress, HKSAR Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Representatives of Relevant National Organisations (constituency)|HKSAR Deputies to the National People's Congress, HKSAR Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Representatives of Relevant National Organisations]] FCs. Functional constituencies are now principally elected by body votes; the number of FCs with individual votes were reduced, together with elimination of mixed individual and body voting systems.

{{HK Functional constituencies}}

The following FCs were abolished in the 2021 electoral reform.
{{Div col}}
* [[Medical (constituency)|Medical]]
* [[Health Services (constituency)|Health Services]]
* [[Information Technology (constituency)|Information Technology]]
* [[District Council (First)]]
* [[District Council (Second)]]
{{div col end}}

Between 1998 and 2016, the Heung Yee Kuk, Agriculture and Fisheries, Insurance, and Transport FCs where a [[Instant-runoff voting|preferential elimination system]] is used due to the small number of voters. In the preferential elimination system, a voter must indicate preferences rather than approval/disapproval or a single choice. District Council (Second) uses the same voting rule in Geographical constituencies for the 5 seats.

Before the [[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|2021 elections]], neither the Heung Yee Kuk nor the Commercial (Second) FCs have held an actual election, as only one candidate has stood for each FC in every election since their establishment in 1991 and 1985, respectively.

===Election Committee Constituency===
{{Main|Election Committee (constituency)}}

The Election Committee constituency was one of the three constituencies designed in the [[Basic Law of Hong Kong]] next to the directly elected [[geographical constituencies]] and the indirectly elected [[functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituencies]] for the first and second-term  Legislative Council in the early SAR period. With the last [[Governor of Hong Kong|British Governor]] [[Chris Patten]]'s [[1994 Hong Kong electoral reform|electoral reform]], the ECC was composed of all elected [[District Councils of Hong Kong|District Board]] members who had been [[1994 Hong Kong local elections|elected in 1994]]. The [[Single Transferable Vote]] system was used in the [[1995 Hong Kong legislative election|1995 election]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ebook.lib.hku.hk/HKG/B35838851.pdf |title=Report on the 1995 Legislative General Election, Boundary and Election Commission |access-date=9 February 2022 |archive-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019113453/http://ebook.lib.hku.hk/HKG/B35838851.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

After the [[handover of Hong Kong]], the ECC was allocated 10 seats out of the total 60 seats in the SAR Legislative Council, comprising all members of the [[Election Committee]] which also elected the [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong|Chief Executive]] every five years. The size of the constituency reduced to six seats in 2000 and was entirely abolished and replaced by the directly elected geographical constituency seats in the [[2004 Hong Kong legislative election|2004 election]]. The [[plurality-at-large voting]] system was used in 1998 and 2000.

In the 2021 electoral overhaul, the Election Committee constituency was reintroduced, taking 40 of the 90 seats, almost half, of the Legislative Council with plurality-at-large voting system. The electorate is composed of all newly expanded 1,500 members in the Election Committee.

==Committee system==
Committees perform LegCo's functions of scrutinizing bills, approving public expenditure and monitoring Government's work.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/intro/about_lc.htm |title=LegCo Today |website=Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Administrative Region |access-date=2018-03-10 |archive-date=8 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908050444/http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/intro/about_lc.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> There are several types of committees, with most committees additionally divided into subcommittees. The chairman of each committee is elected by the committee from among its members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Legislative Council in Brief |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/en/education/understand/brief/factsheet16.html#:~:text=Panels%20are%20tasked%20with%20monitoring,issues%20of%20wide%20public%20concern. |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=www.legco.gov.hk}}</ref>

=== Standing Committees ===
There are three standing committees. which have the power to summon any person to give evidence and produce documents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Committee system |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/education/files/pdf/en/Committee-system.pdf |access-date=13 July 2025 |website=www.legco.gov.hk |archive-date=14 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214151807/https://www.legco.gov.hk/education/files/pdf/en/Committee-system.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Finance Committee
** Establishment Subcommittee
** Public Works Subcommittee
* Public Accounts Committee<ref>Public Accounts Committee (Hong Kong) https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/pac/pac_1620.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029230813/https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/pac/pac_1620.htm |date=29 October 2019 }}</ref>
* Committee on Members' Interests

=== Other committees ===
* House Committee
** Parliamentary Liaison Subcommittee
* Committee on Rules of Procedure
* Committee on Access to the Legislature's Documents and Records
* Investigation committees
* Bills committees
* Select committees
* Panels

==== Panels ====
The 18 panels monitor and examine government policy, and provide a forum for lawmakers to deliberate on policy matters. A panel may appoint a subcommittee to study a specific issue and report to the panel.{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services
* Panel on Commerce and Industry
* Panel on Constitutional Affairs
* Panel on Development
* Panel on Economic Development
* Panel on Education
* Panel on Environmental Affairs
* Panel on Financial Affairs
* Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene
* Panel on Health Services
* Panel on Home Affairs
* Panel on Housing
* Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting
* Panel on Manpower
* Panel on Public Service
* Panel on Security
* Panel on Transport
* Panel on Welfare Services
{{div col end}}

==President of the Legislative Council==
{{Main|President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong}}
[[File:Andrew Leung as Legco President.png|thumb|right|[[Andrew Leung]], the incumbent President of the Legislative Council.]]
From the establishment of the Legislative Council in 1843 to 1993, the Governor was the President and a member of the council, and until 1917 the Governor was required to act with the advice but not necessary the consent of the Legislative Council. The Letters Patent of 1917 changed such practice by requiring the Governor to act "with advice and consent" of the Legislative Council.

Under the Basic Law (Article 72), the President has the powers and functions to preside over meetings, decide on the agenda, including giving priority to government bills for inclusion in the agenda, decide on the time of meetings, call special sessions during the recess, call emergency sessions on the request of the Chief Executive, and exercise other powers and functions as prescribed in the rules of procedure of the Legislative Council. However, the president of the legislative council may not vote in most situations regarding government bills, and is encouraged to remain impartial towards all matters in the LegCo. The President of the Legislative Council has to meet the eligibility requirements set out in the Basic Law that he or she shall be a Chinese citizen of not less than 40 years of age, who is a permanent resident of the HKSAR with no right of abode in any foreign country and has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|title=President of the Legislative Council|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/members/president.html|work=The Legislative Council Commission|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-date=24 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124013940/https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/members/president.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The President is elected by and from among Council members. The first President (1997–2008) was [[Rita Fan]]; the incumbent president, elected in 2016, is [[Andrew Leung]] of the pro-Beijing [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong]].

===Primacy of President===
In a controversial move directed at reining in democratic legislators (most of whom were elected by universal suffrage and six of whose seats had been vacated by a controversial court order of disqualification), amendments to the Rules of Procedure were passed on 15 December 2017 giving sweeping powers to the President to control the business of the legislature.  Among them is the power to vet proposed motions and amendments to bills, require legislators to explain them and to reject or merge them.  Prior notice must be given of any notice of motion and the President may reconvene the chamber immediately after any failure to meet quorum.<ref name="Changes">{{cite news|newspaper=Hong Kong Free Press|date=15 December 2017|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/15/legislature-passes-controversial-house-rule-amendments-taking-powers-lawmakers/|title=Hong Kong legislature passes controversial house rule changes taking powers from lawmakers|last=Cheng|first=Kris|access-date=16 December 2017}}</ref>

==Procedure==
The quorum for meetings of the council is half of all LegCo Members; while the quorum for meetings of a committee of the whole during second reading of bills  is 20, i.e. only 22 per cent of membership, having been reduced from 35 on 15 December 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=R.17, Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/en/legco-business/useful-information/legco-procedures/rules-of-procedure-b.html#17 |website=Legislative Council of the Hong Kong |access-date=5 February 2022 |archive-date=5 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205095840/https://www.legco.gov.hk/en/legco-business/useful-information/legco-procedures/rules-of-procedure-b.html#17 |url-status=live }}</ref>

After the 15 December 2017 amendments to procedure, a petition is to be submitted to the House Committee only with at least 35 signatures of members, effectively blocking democrat-sponsored scrutiny of government action.<ref name="Changes" />

=== Passage of Bills ===
Passage of bills introduced by the government require only a simple majority of votes of the members of the Legislative Council present; whereas passage of motions, bills or amendments to government bills introduced by individual LegCo members shall require a simple majority of votes of each of the two groups of members present: namely members returned by the Election Committee and members returned by functional constituencies and geographical constituencies.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/education/files/english/Factsheet/Factsheet7.pdf |title=HOW LAWS ARE MADE |work=Legislative Council in Brief No. 7 |author=Legislative Council Secretariat Education Service Team |date=January 2022 |access-date=3 January 2022 |archive-date=3 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103053011/https://www.legco.gov.hk/education/files/english/Factsheet/Factsheet7.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Motions on amendments to the Basic Law require a [[two-thirds vote]] in the Legislative Council, without a specific requirement in each group of constituencies. After passing the council, the Basic Law amendment must obtain the consent of two-thirds of Hong Kong's deputies to the [[National People's Congress]], and also the Chief Executive (the Chief Executive is vested with the [[veto power]]). The National People's Congress reserves the sole power to amend the Basic Law.<ref name="BasicLaw2021May">{{cite web |url=https://www.basiclaw.gov.hk/filemanager/content/en/files/basiclawtext/basiclaw_full_text.pdf |title=Basic Law |date=May 2021 |publisher=Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau |pages=106–107, 217–224}}</ref>

Traditionally, the President does not vote. However, this convention is not a constitutional requirement.<ref>Michael DeGolyer (24 July 2008). [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=15&art_id=69034&sid=19876711&con_type=3&d_str=20080724&sear_year=2008 "Legco dice loaded from the start"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207155809/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=15&art_id=69034&sid=19876711&con_type=3&d_str=20080724&sear_year=2008 |date=7 December 2008 }}. ''The Standard''.</ref>

==== List of government defeats ====
Since the handover, the pro-Beijing bloc has retained the majority of Legislative Council and thus government bills are rarely defeated in the Legislative Council except the following:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-10 |title=同性伴侶登記制度 {{!}} 「等埋發叔」事件致政改方案「甩轆」 回歸以來政府草案遭否決極罕見 |url=https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E5%90%8C%E6%80%A7%E4%BC%B4%E4%BE%B6%E7%99%BB%E8%A8%98%E5%88%B6%E5%BA%A6%EF%BD%9C%E3%80%8C%E7%AD%89%E5%9F%8B%E7%99%BC%E5%8F%94%E3%80%8D%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6%E8%87%B4%E6%94%BF%E6%94%B9%E6%96%B9%E6%A1%88%E3%80%8C%E7%94%A9%E8%BD%86%E3%80%8D-%E5%9B%9E%E6%AD%B8%E4%BB%A5%E4%BE%86%E6%94%BF%E5%BA%9C%E8%8D%89%E6%A1%88%E9%81%AD%E5%90%A6%E6%B1%BA%E6%A5%B5%E7%BD%95%E8%A6%8B%EF%B8%B1yahoo-112552175.html |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-HK}}</ref>

* [[Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill|'''Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill''']]: the second reading of the bill was defeated 14–71 (with 1 abstain) on 10 September 2025. The 71 pro-Beijing conservative members decided not to support the bill and the government was backed by Executive Council members and New People's Party.
* Motion Concerning the Amendment to the Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the [[2014–2015 Hong Kong electoral reform|'''2015 electoral reform''']]): the motion was defeated 8–28 without reaching the two-thirds majority on 18 June 2015.
* '''Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2014''': the second reading of the bill was defeated 11–40 (with 5 abstain) on 22 October 2014. 20 pro-democratic MPs rejected the bill as too harsh to transgender, while the other 20 pro-Beijing conservatives said the bill is not in line with Hong Kong's traditional values.
* Motion "The Amendment to the Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive" and "The Amendment to the Method for the Formation of the Legislative Council" (the '''[[2005 Hong Kong electoral reform|2005 electoral reform]]'''): both motions were defeated 34–24 (with 1 abstain) without reaching the two-thirds majority on 21 December 2005.

==Elections of the Legislative Council==
{{Main|Hong Kong legislative elections}}

Legislative Council general elections are held every four years in accordance with [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 69|Article 69 of the Basic Law of HKSAR]]. The  [[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|most recent election]] was held on 19 December 2021. The [[pro-Beijing camp]] had absolute control of the Legislative Council with the [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong]] (DAB) as the largest party.

==Seating arrangement==
In a typical Council meeting in the old Legislative chamber, members were seated to the left and front of the President's chair in the Chamber patterned after the adversarial layout of [[Westminster system]] legislatures. The three rows to the right were reserved for government officials and other people attending the meetings.<ref name="youth">{{cite web|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/english/education/youth_legco.html|title=Knowledge of the Legislative Council|work=Legislative Council Commission|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020042402/http://www.legco.gov.hk/english/education/youth_legco.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the new LegCo site at Tamar, members sit facing the President (and council officers) in a [[hemicycle]] seating arrangement.

== Legislative Council Secretariat ==
{{See also|List of secretaries general of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong}}
At present, the Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General, provides administrative support and services to the Council through its ten divisions. In addition to being the chief executive of the Secretariat, the Secretary General is also the Clerk to the Legislative Council responsible for advising the President on all matters relating to the procedure of the council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/sec/corg_ser/corg_ser.htm|title=Legislative Council Secretariat|work=The Legislative Council Commission|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020042114/http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/sec/corg_ser/corg_ser.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==List of Legislative Council compositions==
[[File:HK LegCo Change Graph.svg|thumb|700px|Composition of political bloc since [[1985 Hong Kong legislative election|1985 election]]:
{{legend|#FF7C80|[[Pro-Beijing camp (Hong Kong)|Pro-Beijing camp]]}} 
{{legend|#66CCFF|[[Conservatism in Hong Kong|Conservative camp]] (later merged into Pro-Beijing camp)}}
{{legend|#69DD74|[[Pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong)|Pro-democracy camp]]}}
{{legend|#ffcc00|[[Localism in Hong Kong|Localist groups]]}}
{{legend|#DDDDDD|Unaffiliated members}}
{{legend|#7F7F7F|Ex-officio members}}]]

The following lists the composition of Legislative Council seats since its establishment:<ref>{{cite web |title=Composition of the Legislative Council |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/library/infopacks/yr11-12/1112infopacks-lc-05-e.pdf |website=Legislative Council of Hong Kong |access-date=8 February 2022 |archive-date=28 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328223122/https://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/library/infopacks/yr11-12/1112infopacks-lc-05-e.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align: top; text-align:center;"
|+ Number of seats in Legislative Council according to election method
! rowspan="2" |<br />
! rowspan="2" |Officials{{Efn|Including the [[Governor of Hong Kong|Governor]].}}
! rowspan="2" |Appointed
! colspan="2" |Indirectly elected
! rowspan="2" |[[Geographical constituency|Directly<br />elected]]
! rowspan="2" |Total
|-
! by Electoral College<br /><small>(inc. [[Election Committee (Hong Kong)|Election Committee]])</small>
! by [[Functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional<br />constituencies]]
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1843
| 4
| –
| –
| –
| –
! 4
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1844
| 6
| –
| –
| –
| –
! 6
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1845
| 4
| –
| –
| –
| –
! 4
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1850
| 6
| 2
| –
| –
| –
! 8
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1857
| 6
| 3
| –
| –
| –
! 9
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1858
| 7
| 3
| –
| –
| –
! 10
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1868
| 6
| 4
| –
| –
| –
! 10
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1883
| 7
| 5
| –
| –
| –
! 12
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1896
| 8
| 6
| –
| –
| –
! 14
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1917
| 8
| 6
| –
| –
| –
! 14
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1928
| 10
| 8
| –
| –
| –
! 18
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1964
| 13
| 13
| –
| –
| –
! 26
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1972
| 15
| 15
| –
| –
| –
! 30
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1976
| 23
| 23
| –
| –
| –
! 46
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1977
| 25
| 25
| –
| –
| –
! 50
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1980
| 27
| 27
| –
| –
| –
! 54
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1983
| 29
| 29
| –
| –
| –
! 58
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | 1984
| 29
| 32
| –
| –
| –
! 61
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[1985 Hong Kong legislative election|1985]]–88
| 11
| 22
| 12
| 12
| –
! 57
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[1988 Hong Kong legislative election|1988]]–91
| 11
| 20
| 12
| 14
| –
! 57
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[1991 Hong Kong legislative election|1991]]–95
| 4
| 18
| –
| 21
| 18
! 61
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[1995 Hong Kong legislative election|1995]]–97
| –
| –
| 10
| 30
| 20
! 60
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[Provisional Legislative Council|1997–98]]
| –
| –
| 60
| –
| –
! 60
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[1998 Hong Kong legislative election|1998]]–2000
| –
| –
| 10
| 30
| 20
! 60
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[2000 Hong Kong legislative election|2000]]–04
| –
| –
| 6
| 30
| 24
! 60
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[2004 Hong Kong legislative election|2004]]–08
| –
| –
| –
| 30
| 30
! 60
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[2008 Hong Kong legislative election|2008]]–12
| –
| –
| –
| 30
| 30
! 60
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[2012 Hong Kong legislative election|2012]]–16
| –
| –
| –
| 35
| 35
! 70
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[2016 Hong Kong legislative election|2016]]–21
| –
| –
| –
| 35
| 35
! 70
|-
| style="text-align:right;" | [[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|2021]]–25
| –
| –
| 40
| 30
| 20
! 90
|}

The following chart lists the composition of the Legislative Councils of Hong Kong since the Special Administrative Region (SAR) period from 1998, the composition and diagram indicate the seats controlled by the camps (green for the [[pro-democracy camp]] and red for the [[pro-Beijing camp]]) at the beginning of the sessions.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"
|- align=center
!Term (Election)
!Diagram
!Composition<br /><small>(by alignment)</small>
!President
! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong}}; width:30px;"| [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|<span style="color:White;">DAB</span>]]
! style="background:{{party color|Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions}}; width:30px;" | [[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions|<span style="color:White;">FTU</span>]]
! style="background:{{party color|Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong}}; width:30px;" | [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|<span style="color:White;">BPA</span>]]
! style="background:{{party color|NPPHK}}; width:30px;" |[[New People's Party (Hong Kong)|<span style="color:White;">NPP</span>]]
! style="background:{{party color|Liberal Party (Hong Kong)}}; width:30px;" | [[Liberal Party (Hong Kong)|<span style="color:White;">Lib</span>]] 
! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Party (Hong Kong)}}; width:30px;"| [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|<span style="color:White;">DP</span>]]
! style="background:{{party color|Civic Party}}; width:30px;"| [[Civic Party|<span style="color:White;">Civ</span>]]
|-
| align=center| '''[[1st Legislative Council of Hong Kong|1st]]''' ([[1998 Hong Kong legislative election|1998]])
| [[File:1998 Hong Kong legislative election result by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Green;">20</span>:<span style="color:Red;">40</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 60
|party1       = 20
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 40
|partycolor2  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| [[Rita Fan]]<br /><small>([[Independent (politician)|Independent]])</small>
| 9
|–
|–
|–
| 10
| bgcolor=#b3dba9| '''13'''
|–
|-
| align=center| '''[[2nd Legislative Council of Hong Kong|2nd]]''' ([[2000 Hong Kong legislative election|2000]])
| [[File:2000 Hong Kong legislative election result by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Green;">21</span>:<span style="color:Red;">39</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 60
|party1       = 21
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 39
|partycolor2  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| [[Rita Fan]]<br /><small>([[Independent (politician)|Independent]])</small>
| 11
|–
|–
|–
| 8
| bgcolor=#b3dba9| '''12'''
|–
|-
| align=center| '''[[3rd Legislative Council of Hong Kong|3rd]]''' ([[2004 Hong Kong legislative election|2004]])
| [[File:2004 Hong Kong legislative election result by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Green;">25</span>:<span style="color:Red;">35</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 60
|party1       = 25
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 35
|partycolor2  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| [[Rita Fan]]<br /><small>([[Independent (politician)|Independent]])</small>
|bgcolor=#98c3f1|  '''12'''
| 1
|–
|–
| 10
| 9
|–
|-
| align=center| '''[[4th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|4th]]''' ([[2008 Hong Kong legislative election|2008]])
| [[File:2008 Hong Kong legislative election result by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Green;">23</span>:<span style="color:Red;">37</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 60
|party1       = 23
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 37
|partycolor2  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| [[Jasper Tsang]]<br /><small>([[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]])</small>
|bgcolor=#98c3f1|  '''13'''
| 1
|–
|–
| 7
| 8
| 5
|-
| align=center| '''[[5th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|5th]]''' ([[2012 Hong Kong legislative election|2012]])
| [[File:5th Legislative Council of Hong Kong seat composition by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Green;">27</span>:<span style="color:Silver;">1</span>:<span style="color:Red;">42</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 70
|party1       = 27
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 1
|partycolor2  = Gray
|party3       = 42
|partycolor3  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| [[Jasper Tsang]]<br /><small>([[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]])</small>
|bgcolor=#98c3f1|  '''13'''
| 6
|–
| 2
| 5
| 6
| 6
|-
| align=center| '''[[6th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|6th]]''' ([[2016 Hong Kong legislative election|2016]])
| [[File:6th Legislative Council of Hong Kong seat composition by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Green;">29</span>:<span style="color:Silver;">1</span>:<span style="color:Red;">40</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 70
|party1       = 29
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 1
|partycolor2  = Gray
|party3       = 40
|partycolor3  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| {{nowrap|[[Andrew Leung]]}}<br /><small>([[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|BPA]])</small>
|bgcolor=#98c3f1|  '''12'''
| 5
| 7
| 3
| 4
| 7
| 6
|-
| align=center| '''[[7th Legislative Council of Hong Kong|7th]]''' ([[2021 Hong Kong legislative election|2021]])
| [[File:2021 Hong Kong legislative election result by party.svg|120px]]
| <small><span style="color:Silver;">1</span>:<span style="color:Red;">89</span></small><br />{{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 150
|total        = 90
|party1       = 1
|partycolor1  = Gray
|party2       = 89
|partycolor2  = Red
}}
| bgcolor="Pink" align=left| {{nowrap|[[Andrew Leung]]}}<br /><small>([[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|BPA]])</small>
|bgcolor=#98c3f1|  '''19'''
| 8
| 7
| 5
| 4
|–
|–
|}

== Officers of the Legislative Council ==
{{Main list|List of Clerks of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong}}

Services to members were originally provided by the Office of the Clerk to the Legislative Council which was part of the Government Secretariat. Additional support later came from other administrative units, i.e. the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) Secretariat and its variants, in consideration of the gradually rising volume of work in Council business.

With the establishment of UMELCO in 1963, public officers were seconded to UMELCO to assist members to deal with public complaints and build up public relations with the local community. During their secondments, public officers took instructions only from Council members. The practice remained when the [[The Office of the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils|Office of the Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils]] (OMELCO) replaced UMELCO in 1986.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/hc/sub_com/redress/papers/cp166e03.pdf |title = Possible duplication of work of the LegCo Redress System with the work of The Office of The Ombudsman |website = Legislative Council of Hong Kong |access-date = 19 October 2016 |archive-date = 10 September 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160910025418/http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/hc/sub_com/redress/papers/cp166e03.pdf |url-status = live }}</ref>

In 1991, the OMELCO Secretariat was incorporated. As a result of the complete separation of membership of the Executive and Legislative Councils, OMELCO was renamed the Office of Members of Legislative Council (OMLEGCO).

The Legislative Council Commission, a statutory body independent of the Government, was established under The Legislative Council Commission Ordinance on 1 April 1994. The Commission integrated the administrative support and services to the council by the Office of the Clerk to the Legislative Council and the OMLEGCO Secretariat into an independent Legislative Council Secretariat. The Commission replaced all civil servants by contract staff in the 1994–1995 session.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/lcc/lcc_0812.htm |title = The Legislative Council Commission |website = Legislative Council of Hong Kong |access-date = 19 October 2016 |archive-date = 2 April 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160402113336/http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/lcc/lcc_0812.htm |url-status = live }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Hong Kong|China|Politics}}
* [[Commonwealth of Nations#Withdrawal and termination|Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel]]
* [[Executive Council of Hong Kong]]
* [[Legislative Assembly of Macau]]
* [[List of Members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong]]
* [[Politics of Hong Kong]]
* [[Senior Chinese Unofficial Member]]
* [[Senior Unofficial Member]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web|url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IF10500.pdf|title=Hong Kong's Legislative Council (Legco)|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]]|date=2020-11-23}}
** [https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1325261/download Earlier version, updated as of October 2, 2020]

== External links ==
*[http://www.legco.gov.hk Legislative Council of Hong Kong]
*[http://www.eac.gov.hk Electoral Affairs Commission]

{{Hong Kong elections}}
{{Hong Kong topics}}
{{HKLegco}}
{{Asia topic|Parliament of}}
{{National unicameral legislatures}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legislative Council Of Hong Kong}}
[[Category:Legislative Council of Hong Kong| ]]
[[Category:Legislatures of dependent territories|Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Unicameral legislatures|Hong Kong]]
[[Category:1843 establishments in Hong Kong]]