Hong Kong authorities will take a hard line towards any disruptions to the coming Legislative Council election, the city’s leader has warned, while noting he will send out a letter urging civil servants to vote in the December poll.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday also stressed that there was no “hard target” for the election turnout rate, but dodged a question on whether any government workers who did not vote would be punished.

Last Friday, the central government’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office shared a strongly worded commentary calling for vigilance against any attempts to jeopardise the December 7 election.

It also cautioned that local law enforcement agencies would not “sit back and do nothing”.

In the run-up to the election, 12 lawmakers aged 70 and above have announced they will not run for another term, fuelling speculation that an age limit has been set for legislators.

Twenty-eight members of the current Legco have indicated they will not seek re-election.