Citizens carry placards and national flags outside the Legislative Council headquarters in Admiralty district to support the Hong Kong government's electoral reform package on June 17, 2015. Roy Liu / China Daily

Lam said that under this plan, aspirants for the top job will put forward manifestos that "better address the needs of the masses".

She recognized efforts by some to forge consensus, but said the opposition camp's advocacy of "unconstitutional proposals" and the "Occupy Central" campaign last year had added obstacles to the city's first universal suffrage election - a goal promised in the Basic Law.

Justice Secretary Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung dismissed fears that the election design will be set "forever", saying a statutory mechanism to optimize the election methods is provided for under the Basic Law.

Twenty-five lawmakers spoke before the meeting was adjourned at 8 pm. All the legislators who spoke reiterated their position on the reform package, including 16 opposition members who promised to exercise their veto power.

Starry Lee Wai-king, head of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, accused organizers and supporters of the illegal occupation movement of not respecting the Constitution and the Basic Law.

The Civic Party's Ronny Tong Ka-wah agreed that the opposition's attitude was an obstacle to consensus.

Outside the council head-quarters, hundreds of people from all walks of life voiced their support for the reform proposals.

kahon@chinadailyhk.com