They are also certain the debate will be one-sided as the pro-establishment camp will avoid taking the floor so as to hasten proceedings in the Legislative Council.

"Although we expect the impeachment motion to be voted down under Legco's separate voting mechanism, we still see it as a victory as this is the first motion of impeachment against a serving chief executive," Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki said.

"Leung has clearly lied to citizens over the illegal structures in his Peak residence and citizens generally have strong doubts about his integrity and have lost trust in him.

"The impeachment motion has a symbolic meaning that Leung has lost the trust of the public and should step down immediately."

Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan said: "The pro-establishment lawmakers have called on the public to give Leung a chance despite his wrongdoing but I really hope they will instead speak up and tell us why they still support him."

The motion states that Leung intentionally gave Legco a false statement, which is a dereliction of his constitutional duty and breaches the Basic Law, which states the chief executive must be a person of integrity.

The pan-democrats also accuse Leung of misconduct by directing his office to make false or misleading statements.

The motion, tabled by "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, requires majority support from both the functional and geographical constituencies to pass.

Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Wong Kwok-kin said he has no plan to speak on the motion.

Wong said the doubts raised do not meet the standard for an impeachment.

A group of Democratic Party members will stage a rally outside the Legco complex this morning calling on the chief executive to step down.

Over the past few weeks, the pan- democrats have failed in their bids to pass a motion of no confidence and to launch a special inquiry against Leung.