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  Supplementary nominations for the Religious Subsector and nominations for by-elections in 16 other subsectors of the Election Committee (EC) will run from Saturday (April 9) until April 15.

  The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, said at a press conference today (April 4) that 33 vacancies were found in 17 subsectors following the publication of the provisional register of the Election Committee for open inspection between March 16 and 23.

  The six vacancies in the Religious Subsector will be filled by supplementary nominations of EC members by the religious bodies concerned, which are:

Religious bodies                                       Vacancies
----------------                                       ---------
Chinese Muslim Cultural and Fraternal Association          1
Hong Kong Christian Council                                1
The Hong Kong Taoist Association                           3
The Confucian Academy                                      1
                                                       ---------
                                                           6
                                                          ====

  The 27 vacancies in the other 16 EC subsectors will be filled by by-elections with polls set for May 1 (Sunday). The distribution of vacancies is as follows:

Subsector                              Vacancies
----------                             ---------
Finance                                      1
Import and export                            1
Industrial (first)                           2
Industrial (second)                          1
Textiles and garment                         1
Accountancy                                  2
Architectural, surveying and planning        1
Chinese medicine                             1
Engineering                                  2
Higher education                             1
Legal                                        2
Agriculture and fisheries                    2
Labour                                       1
Chinese People's Political                   2
Consultative Conference
Heung Yee Kuk                                4
Hong Kong and Kowloon District Councils      3
                                            ----
                                             27
                                            ====

  Nomination forms for the subsector by-elections are available from District Offices, the offices of Returning Officers, and the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) at 10/F Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. They can also be downloaded at www.gov.hk/eac.

  The completed nomination form must be personally submitted by a nominee to the Returning Officer concerned during ordinary business hours within the nomination period.

  Copies of updated Guidelines on the Election-related Activities in respect of the Election Committee Subsector Elections are available at the REO and can be downloaded at the above website.

  Enquiries can be made to the Election Hotline on 2891 1001.

  A final register of the Election Committee will be published after the supplementary nominations and by-elections for the 17 subsectors are completed. The Committee will elect the Chief Executive at the election to be held on July 10 (Sunday).

  Also present at the press conference today were EAC member Dr Elizabeth Shing Shiu-ching and Chief Electoral Officer Mr Lam Man-ho.

Ends/Monday, April 4, 2005

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