HONG KONG -- China's top legislative body may decide to block four disqualified pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmakers from keeping their seats in a provisional term that would run through the rescheduled election next year.
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is expected to discuss how to handle the one-year postponement of Hong Kong's legislative election in a four-day meeting starting Saturday. Hong Kong's Basic Law stipulates that members of the Legislative Council serve for four-year terms, which leaves the seats empty for the year leading up to the new election date.