### Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance 《鄉議局條例》

3A. Kuk Permanent Advisers
The following persons are non-voting Permanent Advisers to the Kuk—
(a) all past Chairmen of the Kuk; and
(b) all persons, other than New Territories Justices of the Peace and Co-opted Councillors, who have served 2 consecutive terms as members of the Executive Committee, the last term ending in 1988 or later.
(Added 18 of 1988 s. 3)

4. Executive Committee
(1) The Executive Committee shall consist of Ex Officio Members, Ordinary Members and all of the Co-opted Councillors.
(2) (a) The following shall be Ex Officio Members—
(i) the Chairmen of Rural Committees; and
(ii) New Territories Justices of the Peace.
(b) Ordinary Members shall not exceed 15 in number, and shall be Councillors of, and elected by, the Full Council.
(3) The Full Council shall be deemed to have delegated to the Executive Committee such of its powers as are necessary for the carrying out of the objects the Kuk.
(Amended 18 of 1988 s. 4)

### Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance 《鄉議局條例》

5. Election of office of Chairman, Members and Councillors
(1) The Chairman, Vice-Chairmen, Members of the Executive Committee and Councillors of the Full Council shall be elected or confirmed in the manner prescribed in the First Schedule. (Amended 18 of 1988 s. 5)
(2) Upon election the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen, Ordinary Members and Special Councillors shall hold office for a term of 4 years commencing on 1 June except that— (Amended 7 of 1982 s. 2; 17 of 1991 s. 2; 2 of 2003 s. 68)
(a) the term of office that commenced on 1 June 1999 shall be extended to 4 years and 6 months; and (Added 2 of 2003 s. 68)
(b) on the expiry of the term of office mentioned in paragraph (a), there shall be a term of office of 3 years and 6 months that commences on 1 December 2003. (Added 2 of 2003 s. 68)
(3) Where a Chairman or Vice-Chairman of a Rural Committee is elected as the Chairman or a Vice-Chairman of the Kuk and he ceases to hold the former office, he shall, notwithstanding section 3(2)(a)(i), continue in the latter office and as a member of the Executive Committee and an Ex Officio Councillor until the end of the term that would have applied had he not ceased to hold the first mentioned office. (Added 18 of 1988 s. 5)
(4) Co-opted Councillors assume office when confirmed under section 3(2)(c)(iv) and cease to hold office on a date to be stated in the resolution of confirmation. (Added 18 of 1988 s. 5)

6. Disqualification
No person shall hold office as a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Member of the Executive Committee or Councillor of the Full Council who is under the age of 21 years, or who is or at any time becomes—
(a) under any law in force in Hong Kong found or declared to be of unsound mind;
(b) an undischarged bankrupt;
(c) a person who has been convicted by any Court in Hong Kong, of any offence for which he has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding 6 months; or (Amended 4 of 2000 s. 3)
(d) a person who has been convicted by any Court in Hong Kong within the preceding 5 years of any offence in connection with any illegal organization.
(Amended 18 of 1988 s. 6)

### Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance 《鄉議局條例》

7. Returning Officer
(1) All elections shall be conducted by a Returning Officer appointed by the Chief Executive. Such Returning Officer shall be in sole charge of the conduct of such elections, appointing such Assistant Returning Officers as he shall see fit to assist him. On the completion of every election the Returning Officer shall declare each person elected to have been validly or invalidly elected as the case may be. (Amended 4 of 2000 s. 3)
(2) Where any question arises concerning the interpretation of the election rules set out in the First Schedule the same shall be interpreted by the Returning Officer whose decision shall be final, or by an Assistant Returning Officer from whose decision appeal may be made to the Returning Officer.

8. Vacancies and invalid elections
(1) Where—
(a) any vacancy occurs by reason of the death, resignation or disqualification of any Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Member or Special Councillor; or
(b) the election of any Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Member or Special Councillor is declared invalid by the Returning Officer,
a fresh election shall take place within 6 months of the vacancy occurring or the election being declared invalid, and the Chief Executive may extend the term of office for which the election was being held for such period as he may see fit not exceeding 6 months from the date of such vacancy occurring.
(2) In the event of the Returning Officer declaring 2 successive elections to be invalid the Chief Executive may appoint any person eligible for election to be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Member or Special Councillor as the case may be, and such person shall hold office as if he had been duly elected thereto.
(3) In the event of the Chairman dying, resigning or becoming disqualified the Vice-Chairman first elected shall assume the office of Chairman until such time as a new Chairman shall have been elected.
(Amended 18 of 1988 s. 7; 4 of 2000 s. 3)

9. Objects
The objects of the Kuk shall be—
(a) to promote and develop mutual co-operation and understanding among the people of the New Territories;
(b) to promote and develop co-operation and understanding between the Government and the people of the New Territories;
(c) to advise the Government on social and economic developments in the interests of the welfare and prosperity of the people of the New Territories;
(d) to encourage the observance of all such customs and traditional usages of the people of the New Territories as are conducive to their welfare and to the preservation of public morality; and
(e) to exercise such functions as they may be invited to from time to time by the Chief Executive. (Amended 4 of 2000 s. 3)