Election Malpractice Punished

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has punished 245 people after investigating 125 reported cases of malpractice in local elections, said a recent statement by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

The 245 were caught engaging in a range of malpractices, including attending banquets while inspecting the performance of cadres, leaking confidential information, canvassing, seeking promotion through improper methods, and spreading fabricated information in local elections, according to the statement.

Among those punished, 47 were given “Party disciplinary and administrative punishment,” which may include warnings, demotions, and expulsions from the Party and administrative posts.

Another 135 were given “organizational punishment,” a category which includes criticism, demotion and dismissal.

The statement calls for stricter discipline and zero tolerance for malpractice in elections in order to build a fair environment for local elections.

In September, 45 National People’s Congress deputies from China’s northeastern Liaoning Province were disqualified after a case of massive electoral fraud.