A total of 161 nominations have been submitted for next month's Legislative Council elections – seven more than in the 2021 polls – as the two-week nomination period drew to a close on Thursday.

Fifty-one hopefuls have declared their interest in running for 20 directly elected seats, with five or six in each of the 10 geographical constituencies.

The number of nominations received for the geographical polls marked a 45 percent jump from four years ago.

Meanwhile, authorities received 60 nominations for the 30 functional constituency seats, while 50 others submitted their forms to vie for the 40-strong Election Committee constituency.

All 90 seats at the legislature are set to see competition.

Legco president Andrew Leung described the December 7 elections as "highly competitive".

"The competitions in some constituencies are fiercer than in the last election," he said.

"No one would receive the so-called 'special blessing' as all contestants start on the same starting line and compete on the basis of their abilities, policy platforms and their dedication to serving society, delivering a high-quality and civil election."

Of the incumbent 89 lawmakers, 35 are not seeking re-election.

All election hopefuls are subject to vetting by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, which is expected to published a list of valid candidates within two weeks.