Key rules/guidelines for voting at committee meetings (including meetings of the House Committee, Panels, Bills Committees and their subcommittees)

• (a)
  As a general rule:

  • all matters for the decision of a committee shall be decided by a majority of the members voting (RoP 75(12AA), RoP 76(8) & RoP 77(13); HP 3.21; HBC 4.20; HSc 5.20);
  • a question put to vote will be regarded as agreed to if more members voted in favour of it than those who voted against it (HP 3.25; HBC 4.24; HSc 5.24);
  • it is the normal practice to record the number of members who abstained from voting, but the number of abstentions is not counted for the purpose of determining the result of the vote (HP 3.25; HBC 4.24; HSc 5.24).
• (b)
  Specifically, on amendments to bills or subsidiary legislation proposed by member(s) of the committee concerned:

  • where the Administration does not agree to move the proposed amendments and there is agreement among the majority of the members on the amendments (i.e. more members voted in favour of the amendments than those who voted against them, disregarding those who abstained), the Bills Committee/Subcommittee on Subsidiary Legislation should consider whether the Chairman should move the amendments on behalf of the committee (HBC 2.21; HSc 3.20);
  • if the Chairman is not in favour of the proposed amendments, the Bills Committee/Subcommittee on Subsidiary Legislation should be invited to consider whether the Deputy Chairman (if any) or any other member who is in favour of the amendments should move them on behalf of the committee (HBC 2.22; HSc 3.21).
• (c)
  Voting rights of Chairmen of committees:

  Table view

  Card view

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Committee

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Committee

  BCs and their subcommittees

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  Yes -
  RoP 76(8)

  No -
  RoP 76(8)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Yes -
  RoP 76(8B)

  Yes -
  RoP 76(8B)

  Committee

  Panels and their subcommittees and joint subcommittees

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  Yes -
  RoP 77(13)

  No -
  RoP 77(13)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Yes -
  RoP 77(13B)

  Yes -
  RoP 77(13B)

  Committee

  Joint meetings of Panels

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  Yes -
  RoP 77(13)

  No -
  RoP 77(13)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Yes -
  RoP 77(13B)

  Yes -
  RoP 77(13B)

  Committee

  HC

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  No -
  RoP 75(12B)

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12B)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12E)

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12E)

  Committee

  Subcommittees on subsidiary legislation under HC

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12C)

  No -
  RoP 75(12C)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12E)

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12E)

  Committee

  Other subcommittees under HC

  Matters requiring a decision of the committee (except election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman)

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote²

  No -
  RoP 75(12B)

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12B)

  Election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman

  Original vote¹

  Casting vote

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12E)

  Yes -
  RoP 75(12E)

  • 1.
    In exercising his/her original vote on a matter before the committee, the chairman or member presiding shall exercise his/her vote at the same time as other members of the committee exercise their votes; otherwise, he/she shall be regarded as having given up his/her right to vote on the matter (RoP 79A(3); HP 3.32; HBC 4.30; HSc 5.30).
  • 2.
    In exercising the casting vote on a matter before the committee (other than exercising the vote in the election of the chairman or deputy chairman), the chairman or member presiding shall not exercise the vote in such a way as to produce a majority vote in favour of the question put (RoP 79A(1)).
  • "RoP" :
    Rules of Procedure
  • "HP" :
    Handbook for Chairmen of Panels
  • "HBC" :
    Handbook for Chairmen of Bills Committees
  • "HSc" :
    Handbook for Chairmen of Subcommittees on Subsidiary Legislation/Other Instruments