A district councilor (left) swears his allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and its Basic Law during a ceremony at North Point Community Hall on Oct 4, 2021. The oath-taking was administered by Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui Ying-wai (right). (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

HONG KONG – The third batch of district councilors in Hong Kong on Monday swore an oath of allegiance to the special administrative region and its Basic Law at a ceremony.

Members of district councils in the North District, Tai Po, Sai Kung and Sha Tin attended an oath-taking ceremony held at North Point Community Hall

Members of district councils in the North District, Tai Po, Sai Kung and Sha Tin attended the ceremony held at North Point Community Hall. 

The oath-taking was administered by Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui Ying-wai.

The oath administrator determined that the oaths taken by 34 district councilors were valid.

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Two members from the Tai Po District Council and North District Council did not attend the ceremony. 

Tai Po’s Yiu Kwan-ho is currently in prison and could not take his oath, while Wong Hoi-ying from the North District Council had provided a reason for her absence and requested for separate oath-taking arrangements. 

Meanwhile, 16 district councilors were asked to provide additional information as the oath administrator had doubts on the validity of the oaths taken by them.

Oath-taking for the current 221 district councilors is split into four batches. The batch of district councilors of Hong Kong Island took their oaths on Sept 10 and the second batch took theirs on Sept 24. 

READ MORE: 2nd batch of district councilors swear allegiance to HKSAR

Hong Kong’s legislature passed a bill in May requiring district councilors to take the oath. The city’s National Security Law also requires those holding public office to take the oath to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the city. 

There were 479 district councilors originally, 260 of whom quit for various reasons. Another eight were disqualified for various reasons, including some that were held in custody and some that had left the city.