The nomination period for the 2010 Legislative Council by-election will run from March 22 to April 8, the Electoral Affairs Commission said.

There is one vacant office in each of LegCo's five geographical constituencies - Hong Kong Island, Kowloon West, Kowloon East, New Territories West and New Territories East. If there is more than one validly nominated candidate in a constituency, a poll will be held on Sunday, May 16.

A nominee must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 21 or above, and have lived in Hong Kong for the three years immediately before the nomination. He or she must also be a Chinese citizen who is a Hong Kong permanent resident with no right of abode in a foreign country.

The nominee needs 100 registered electors of the constituency concerned as subscribers. He or she must hand in the completed nomination form, together with an election deposit of $50,000, in person to the returning officer within the nomination period.

Nomination forms are available from District Offices or the Registration & Electoral Office at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. They can also be downloaded from the commission's website.

Nominations will be accepted from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday and from 9am to noon on Saturday, except on general holidays.

The commission has appointed the returning officers and assistant returning officers for the five geographical constituencies. Notices of the by-election, and notices for the officers' appointments, with their office addresses, were published in the Gazette today.