More Seats to Be Given to Workers, Farmers in Electing NPC Deputies

Nearly 3,000 deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) will be elected by January 2013 with more seats given to workers and farmers, according to a draft decision of China's top legislature.

The draft decision on the issues concerning the number of deputies to the 12th NPC and their election was on Thursday submitted to the ongoing annual legislative session.

Explaining the draft at a plenary meeting of the session, Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the 11th NPC Standing Committee, said that "broad representativeness of deputies to the people's congresses is not only the essential requirement of the system of people's congresses, but an important embodiment of socialist democracy."

Of the number of deputies to the 12th NPC, there shall be an increase in the proportion of deputies at the primary level, especially those from among the front-line workers, farmers as well as professionals and technicians, Li said.

There shall be an increase by a relatively large margin in the number of deputies from among migrant workers, and there shall be a decrease in the proportion of deputies who are Communist Party or government leaders or officials, compared with the last NPC, according to the draft decision.

In accordance with the provisions of China's Constitution and relevant laws, the 11th NPC will end its term in March 2013 and new NPC deputies shall be elected before that time.