A record number of candidates registered in Hong Kong's village elections in January as - seven years after they were first given a vote - non-indigenous residents asserted their right to a greater say in local politics.

The move towards broader representation in the fiercely traditional New Territories began in 2000 when the Court of Final Appeal ruled that it was unlawful to restrict voting rights to indigenous villagers.

As a result of the ruling, the government in 2003 introduced a "two heads" system whereby a village has an indigenous and a resident representative, allowing 'outsiders' who have lived in the village for six years to stand as candidates.

A total of 1,753 candidates were nominated for 1,484 indigenous and resident representative positions in 709 New Territories villages in January. Despite the large number of candidates, more than half the seats were uncontested.

The occupations of the candidates in January's elections reflects the enormous change in the New Territories in recent decades as farming has ceased and generations of rural families have moved into town or overseas.

Only 16 candidates of the 1,753 put their occupation down as farmers or agricultural workers. The majority described themselves as retired or business people.

But some New Territories traditions have stood firm - including male domination of local politics as well as land and housing rights. Of all the candidates in the January elections, only 31 were women.

(HK Edition 02/10/2011 page4)