Arrest warrants have been issued for two Hongkongers overseas who were running for Legco in 2020 before the government cancelled the polls, with the ICAC accusing the pair of submitting fraudulent election expenses.

A statement issued by the ICAC said Lam Siu-pan and Sum Sung-sheung, both 31, jointly submitted a claim for around HK$68,000 for mobile phones, notebook computers and other digital products.

The Registration and Electoral Office found the claim to be suspicious and rejected it, and also alerted the anti-graft body.

The ICAC said the pair submitted their candidate nomination form just hours before the government cancelled the elections citing the pandemic, adding that two days before this, "information was spread" that such a move was on the cards and that candidates would be reimbursed for their expenses.

The ICAC alleged that some of the items included on the expenses form were bought in the hours after the cancellation was announced on July 31, 2020 and other items were purchased more than a week later, with the relevant invoices backdated.

"Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charging the two candidates. As Lam and Sum had already left Hong Kong, warrants for the arrest of them were issued by a magistrate upon the application made by the ICAC," the statement said.

The pair are accused of engaging in corrupt conduct to lodge a false or misleading election return and attempted fraud.