LAHORE, Sept 23: All is set for holding election to five executive committee — four chamber class and one trade group — seats of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.

There are 965 registered chamber class voters out of which 700 or so are expected to cast their votes.

Normally, the turnout in the chamber class elections has stood at around 40-45 per cent. However, over 72 per cent or 674 voters had polled their votes out of a total 926 in the election 2002.

Both the rival groups — the PIAF-Founders Group Alliance and the Founders — have made arrangements for polling and set up camps at the LCCI to facilitate the voters. Large banners, displaying the pictures of their respective candidates, have been hung across the roads.

The Founders have fielded Khursheed Alam, Umar Farooq Khwaja, Tanveer Ahmad and Azhar Paracha. The alliance has put up Misbahur Rehman, Irfan Qaiser, Abdul Basit and Nauman Kabir.

Three candidates are in the run for one trade group seat. They are Javed Dar, Mohammed Salim and Mohammed Yousaf.

About 49 delegates, representing different trade groups, will poll their votes.

It may be recalled that the election to the single trade group seat was postponed after the DTO ordered a scrutiny of the voters list on a complaint filed by the alliance. However, the DTO order was set aside by the Lahore High Court on a petition filed by the Founders’ candidate, Javed Husain Dar, on Tuesday.

While a close contest is expected between the two rival groups for the four chamber class seats, the Founders will easily elect its man to the trade group seat.