A total of 1,098 nominations, including 40 from the Religious Subsector, for the Election Committee subsector elections are valid, the Registration and Electoral Office announced.

Eight people have withdrawn their nominations and eight nominations are invalid.

Four subsectors - Commercial (second), Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, Industrial (second) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference - are uncontested as the number of candidates (95) equals the number of members allocated to them.

As a result, 963 candidates from 31 subsectors will run for 588 seats on the Election Committee next Thursday (April 2).

A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office urged 140,000 voters from the 31 subsectors to go to the polls next Thursday to elect their representatives on the Election Committee.

"As the polling day will fall on a working day, I hope that employers will be considerate and allow their employees to visit their polling stations during office hours to vote," the spokesman said.

A total of 90 polling stations throughout the territory will be open from 7.30 am to 10.30 pm on April 2.

Poll cards will be mailed to every voter from Thursday telling them where, when and how to vote. Leaflets bearing personal particulars of candidates will be sent to every voter. The full list of candidates will be put on the Internet early this week. The website address is http://www.info.gov.hk.

The composition of the 800-member Election Committee is:

588 to be elected from 31 subsectors

95 returned from four uncontested subsectors

40 nominated by the Religious Subsector

77 ex-officio members from the National People's

Congress and the Provisional Legislative

Council