The final list of candidates for Tuesday's biennial polls of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) was announced in Jamshedpur on Sunday.

While industrialists Ashok Kumar Bhalotia and Aloke Chowdhury are pitted against each other for the president's post, businessmen Prabhakar Singh and Vijay Anand Moonka will vie for the post of general secretary. Apart from 11 office-bearers, including a treasurer, four vice-presidents and four honorary secretaries, the polls will also elect 23 executive committee members.

The SCCI has 1,380 registered members who are expected to exercise their franchise through secret ballot. Businessman Umesh Kauntia has been elected uncontested as a trustee, a post which is not part of the office-bearers.

'The final list of candidates was published today after the withdrawals. We had called the candidates of both factions to Chamber Bhavan this afternoon to know if they had grievances. We asked them to ensure peace during the polling on September 12,' said R.K. Jhunjhunwala of the four-member poll panel.

The polls will take place at Chamber Bhavan in Bistupur from 10.30am to 3pm on Tuesday. Results will be declared on the same day.

Breaking from tradition, the 66th annual general meeting (AGM) of the outfit will take place a day before the polls. Earlier, all AGMs were held on the election day.

Prabhakar Singh, who will try his luck for the post of general secretary for the second time in a row, promised hi-tech initiatives. 'If my team is elected, we will introduce a toll free number and a business clinic for redressing the problems of businessmen and traders. We will also introduce a digital directory, which will be a first-of-its-kind initiative, apart from renovating and adding more facilities at the bhawan,' he said.

Suresh Sonthalia, the present president who is not contesting since he has already served two terms, is garnering support for his team. 'We are confident that Bhalotia will be elected the next president. Traders and members of the business community will vote for our team because of the good work we have done in the last two terms. We always stood for the welfare of the business community,' Sonthalia said.