BEIJING, Jan. 2 -- Tong Mingqian, a senior political advisor in central China's Hunan Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and removed from public office for dereliction of duty which caused major electoral fraud, according to a statement released by the CPC's discipline watchdog Thursday.

Tong had served as vice chairman of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Tong, then Party chief of Hengyang City in Hunan, was in charge of the election, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement.

Tong did not take timely and effective measures to seriously handle bribery cases exposed before and after the election, causing major electoral fraud that "inflicts great losses to the interests of the Party, country and the people, and leaves a harmful political and social impact," the statement said.

Tong's dereliction of duty was a serious violation of disciplines and suspected of crimes, the statement said, adding his case will be transferred to judicial organs.

Tong's expulsion from the CPC and removal from public office have been endorsed by the CPC Central Committee, according to the CCDI.

The mass vote fraud scandal in Hunan was made public on Dec. 28 while the election took place during a session of the local legislative body of Hengyang between Dec. 28, 2012 and Jan. 3, 2013.

Preliminary investigation shows 56 lawmakers elected to Hunan provincial people's congress from Hengyang City offered bribes to 518 municipal lawmakers and 68 staff. The bribe money exceeded 110 million yuan (18.14 million U.S. dollars).