The general election for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s eighth-term Legislative Council will be held as scheduled on Sunday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Tuesday, adding that a functioning legislature is indispensable to the city’s recovery and the reforms needed following the Tai Po blaze, which has so far claimed at least 156 lives.

Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee said rescue efforts and support for around 2,000 affected families will continue unabated.

“When considering the next steps to help the fire victims and prevent similar tragedies, the most essential reform partners will undoubtedly be the Legislative Council members,” Lee said.

“They have also endured the recent fire and share in the collective sorrow. They will definitely work with the government to drive reforms, ensure thorough vetting of funding allocations, and develop pertinent legislation.

“So electing capable and aspiring lawmakers is a crucial step toward rebuilding society.”

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Lee stressed that proceeding with the elections in accordance with the law will provide “strong support for maintaining social stability”, as many relief and recovery measures require legislative approval. “This is the most responsible attitude for Hong Kong’s future,” he added.

Lee said the SAR government will work with new lawmakers immediately upon their swearing-in to advance legal amendments and institutional reforms.

When questioned about potential conflicts between disaster relief efforts and election management, Lee gave his assurance that rescue and support operations “will not cease” and will, in fact, be strengthened by the participation of newly elected legislators.

Following the disaster, a series of campaign events were temporarily suspended. They include eight election forums where candidates will present their policy platforms and debate key issues.

At a separate media briefing, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the election forums will resume on Wednesday and Thursday, with four sessions each day. Questions regarding support for affected residents and post-disaster management will also be included, he said.

The current legislative term ends on Dec 31. Under the Legislative Council Ordinance, the election may be postponed by up to 14 days if affected by “riot or open violence or any danger to public health or safety”. Chan said that holding the election as planned remains “the most appropriate decision”.

All election-related public entertainment events, including Election Fun Day, have been canceled. However, the previously announced free admission to government parks and museums will be available during the weekend.

Three polling stations near the fire site will be relocated, with shuttle bus services arranged for affected voters.

Chan emphasized that disaster relief for fire victims and election preparations are “equally important” and will proceed simultaneously, adding that sufficient staff are in place to prevent interference between the two.

Regarding voter turnout expectations, Chan said that there is no specific target, but expressed his hope that every eligible voter will cast their ballot. As planned, thankyou cards will be distributed at polling stations.

In a social media post, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen also voiced his support for keeping to the election schedule, and said the decision to do so aligns with constitutional order and the rule of law.

Leung added that allowing the next Legislative Council term to assume office on time will enable lawmakers and the government to coordinate disaster relief, facilitate rebuilding efforts, conduct legislative work and policy reviews, and allocate funding. All these tasks require high-quality and prompt deliberation by the Legislative Council, he said.

Executive Council member Chan Kin-por, a lawmaker for the past 17 years, highlighted the SAR government’s constitutional duty to organize the election. There must be no “vacuum period” during the transition between legislative terms, he said.

Hong Kong’s largest political party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said holding the election as scheduled will help advance support and follow-up measures for those affected by the fire and strengthen the supervision system, including the oversight of incident responses.

“We will resume election-related activities gradually, in accordance with the current social situation,” the party said in a Facebook post.

The New People’s Party also expressed support and understanding for holding the election as scheduled. “Our team and all candidates will resume election work with the utmost seriousness and diligence,” according to its Facebook post on Tuesday.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said he believes the government’s decision to hold the election as scheduled aligns with the public’s expectation that the new Legislative Council will be able to assist the government promptly with relief work and investigation of the Tai Po fire.

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com