The names of 200 validly nominated candidates for the 2008 Legislative Council election have been gazetted, the Registration & Electoral Office says.

A total of 142 candidates who belong to 53 lists are validly nominated to run for 30 seats in the five geographical constituencies.

For the functional constituency election, there are now 58 validly nominated candidates and 45 will compete for 16 seats.

However, the number of validly nominated candidates for the Agriculture & Fisheries functional constituency has yet to be determined.

Thirteen candidates in 11 functional constituencies will be returned to the council uncontested. They are the Heung Yee Kuk; Labour; Real Estate & Construction; Commercial (Second); Industrial (First); Industrial (Second); Finance; Financial Services; Sports, Performing Arts, Culture & Publication; Import & Export; and Catering constituencies. About 17,000 electors in these functional constituencies do not have to vote.

A total of 532 polling stations across Hong Kong will be open from 7.30am to 10.30pm on September 7 for about 3.37 million registered geographical constituency electors and about 210,000 functional constituency electors to cast their votes.

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