In response to press enquiries about the nominations for the Election Committee Subsector Elections, a spokesman for the Constitutional Affairs Bureau said today that the Bureau was pleased with the number of nominations put forward for the Elections which will be held on April 2.

A total of 1107 nominations (including 40 nominations from the Religious subsector)had been received for the subsector elections.

The response in some subsectors in which the number of candidates well exceeded the number of seats available was particularly encouraging, the spokesman said.

Of the 800 seats which make up the Election Committee, 77 will be filled by ex-officio members comprising Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress and members of the Provisional Legislative Council. 40 seats will be filled by nominees from the Religious subsector and 683 seats will be returned by election in the remaining subsectors. The Election Committee will return 10 members of the Legislative Council on May 24.

The spokesman called on registered voters to cast their votes during the Election Committee Subsector Elections on April 2.

"The polling hours will last from 7.30 am to 10.30 pm," he said.

He also urged employers to support this important event by encouraging and facilitating their employees (who are registered voters) to cast their vote on the day of the subsector elections, which falls on a working day. Those registered corporate voters should also encourage and facilitate their Authorised Representatives to vote on polling day.