Another batch of district councillors unseated

The government on Thursday disqualified 16 district councillors from the western New Territories, saying the oaths of allegiance they took two weeks ago were invalid.

In a statement, the government said it decided to strip the councillors of their seats after considering their written replies to requests for information.

Among those unseated was former Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong, from Yuen Long District Council, which lost eight members in total.

Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Kwai Tsing, and Islands district councils each lost two councillors.

The government said councillor Chan Mei-lin from Yuen Long was asked to provide additional information regarding her oath, but she resigned a few days later.

A total of 68 district councillors took the oath on the day in question, with 51 of them keeping their seats.

It was the fourth and final batch of district councillors to take the oath, and a total of 49 district councillors were unseated.

More than 260 councillors have resigned in recent months.