As the central government steps up efforts to clean up officialdom, Beijing's anti-graft authority punished 729 party members from January through September.

According to a statement from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on Thursday, the authority filed 920 cases of misconduct against Communist Party members from January through September —?a year-on-year rise of 62.5 percent.

Among the 920 cases, 104 were referred to prosecutors.

In another report, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China said 531 "phantom staffers" who never worked but received wages were discovered in Beijing and 327 have thus far been removed from the government payroll.