Electoral fraud cases an important warning for all: legislature report

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), delivers a work report of the NPC Standing Committee during the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

A report released on Wednesday warned against electoral fraud, and called for a democratic and law-based election under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The report, available to media before the National People's Congress (NPC) convenes a plenary meeting to discuss a draft decision on the quota and election of deputies to the 13th NPC, called to attention a string of electoral fraud cases found in the past years.

In one of the most notorious cases, 45 NPC deputies from northeast China's Liaoning Province were disqualified in 2016 for vote buying and bribery during elections three years earlier. 

Another major case in 2013 in Hengyang city of Hunan Province saw 56 provincial legislators offering 110 million yuan in bribes to 518 municipal lawmakers and another 68 members of staff. Nearly 500 people in southwest China's Sichuan Province were imprisoned or given administrative penalties in 2015 for fraud in 2011 elections.

The report said the investigation and punishment of those involved in the above three cases showcased the CPC Central Committee's commitment and resolve to comprehensively advance rule of law and strict Party governance, and should serve as an important warning for all.

The election of deputies to the 13th NPC shall be completed in January 2018, the report said.