KARACHI, Dec 21: Members of the Arts Council of Karachi will cast their ballots on Sunday to elect their office-bearers and governing body members for 2003. Slightly more than 2,000 are eligible to vote.

The polling will get under way after the general body meeting which is scheduled to start at 10am sharp.

During the meeting, the expenses etc. incurred during 2002 will be discussed. Other issues to be discussed include the election of office-bearers.

Polling will go on for seven hours. This time, about 18 polling booths have been erected for the voters’ convenience. Previously only a few polling booths were erected, causing inconvenience to the members.

In a departure from previous years, the sitting representatives of the cultural body invited their opponents to select the stalls where their election office could be opened. Previously, the opponents used to toss a coin to earn the right to the better stalls.

For the first time, the polling booths have been erected in the lawns of the Arts Council. This way the Arts Council has done away with overcrowding on the first floor of its building.

One panel contesting the elections comprises: Saifur Rehman Grami (vice president); Talat Hussain (honorary secretary); and, Rizwan Siddiqui (treasurer).

The other panel comprises: Khush Bakht Shujaat (vice president); Yavar Mehdi (honorary secretary); and, Ibrahim Nafees (treasurer).

Besides the 12-member governing body will also be elected.

Meanwhile, a lot of activities was witnessed on the Arts Council premises on Saturday evening. Colourful banners, carrying the names of members contesting the elections, were being erected.

Some members were busy in canvassing for votes. The newly-opened “Gulrang” was also full of members.