Pro-democracy activists have mocked the plan as "fake democracy" as they said the 1,200-member nominating committee is stacked with Beijing loyalists. Vetting of candidates is required under the city's de facto constitution, Leung and the Chinese government have said.

The bill will be presented to the legislature on Wednesday for debate before voting. Carrie Lam -- the city's No. 2 official -- sees "zero" chance for legislation to get through because all pro-democracy lawmakers have pledged to vote against it, the Hong Kong Economic Times reported June 12.

"We need to show the Chinese government that Hong Kong people's desire for genuine universal suffrage cannot be suppressed," Nathan Law, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, told reporters at Victoria Park as the march was starting. "Hong Kong people want the true right to choose our chief executive."

Scholarism -- a student group that took part in the march and last year's demonstrations -- has vowed to escalate protest actions should the bill pass. Public anger over China's outline for the proposal last year led to 79 days of protests, dubbed the Umbrella Movement, and violent clashes with the police.

The government is spending HK$5 million ($645,000) on public meetings, television ads, and posters blanketing trains and buses to win support for the plan. Opposition to the plan rose to 43.4 percent on June 8 from a low of 34.5 percent on May 31, the same day top Beijing officials told a group of pro- democracy lawmakers there was no chance of modifying the proposed framework, which, if passed, would apply to all future elections in Hong Kong.

The share of those who support the proposal has declined to 41.6 percent, according to a tracking poll conducted by three local universities.

"No matter what I say now, it's probably not going to change anything. But I still believe in pursuing democracy and when facing differences, we can't just compare who's got more support and strength," Financial Secretary John Tsang wrote in his Blog Sunday. "We need a balance and compromise in order to reach a consensus that the majority can accept."

More than 7,000 police will be deployed during the electoral bill vote to prevent any new occupation, and they will be prepared to use teargas and pepper spray if any demonstrations turn violent, the South China Morning Post reported June 2, citing unidentified police officers.


If the China-backed plan fails, the city's top leader will continue to be selected by a committee of 1,200 business, political and social elite, which has hewed to Beijing's interests.

Tung Lam, a 28-year-old civil servant who was among the marchers on Sunday, said the protesters came out to support lawmakers voting against the proposal.

"China doesn't listen to what Hong Kong people want," Lam said. "We are here for Hong Kong's future."

Bloomberg