Candidates were also required to seek nominations from three government-appointed committees, which effectively shut out all pro-democracy parties.
Over 70 per cent of the candidates picked to run for the election were themselves members of the nominating committees.
Police also acted swiftly to clamp down on any sign of dissent on Sunday, arresting at least six people.
Three were activists from the League of Social Democrats – one of the city’s last remaining opposition groups – which had planned to stage a protest.
Police first accused the trio of “attempting to incite others to disrupt district council elections” and later passed them to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) over suspicion of “inciting others not to vote”.
The League called the arrest “extremely ironic and ridiculous”.
On Friday, the national security police arrested a 77-year-old man for an “attempt to carry out seditious acts”.
A 38-year-old man was charged on Tuesday for reposting a video of an overseas commentator that allegedly incited people to boycott the election.
Source: CNA
