The Punggol East by-election is set to be a four-cornered fight, the first such contest in a parliamentary election since 1997. Shortly before nominations closed at noon, four nominations forms had been put on display to allow for people to lodge objections.

If none are received, then all four candidates will officially enter the race.

The four candidates are Dr Koh Poh Koon of the PAP, Ms Lee Li Lian of the Workers' Party, Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party and Mr Desmond Lim of the Singapore Democratic Alliance.

The two independents that turned up, Mr Zeng Guoyan and Mr Ooi Boon Ewe, both left without filing their papers.

This is Singapore's second by-election in a year. It takes place just eight months after the last was held in the single member constituency (SMC) of Hougang.

Punggol East SMC fell vacant after former Speaker of Parliament and MP for the ward Michael Palmer resigned on 12 December 2012 after confessing to an extramarital affair.

The Returning Officer, Mr Yam Ah Mee, is expected to declare the results of the nomination process by 1pm Wednesday.

There are some 32,000 voters in Punggol East SMC and Polling Day has been set for Jan 26.