MUMBAI: The IIFA Awards 2009, which are in its tenth year now, will hold its voting process from 6 – 8 March.

IIFA Awards 2009 voting weekend to kick start this Friday, 6 March for members of the Indian film fraternity. Each year actors, directors, producers, technicians, composers and behind the scenes communities cast their votes, which would decide the nominations for the main awards.

The industry casts its votes and shortlist nominations in the category of the Popular Awards. The Technical Award winners and the Popular Award nominations are derived from this voting weekend. 6 – 8 March will mark the 10th year of IIFA’s voting weekend, where the IIFA Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan will cast the first vote as he does each year to initiate proceedings. The IIFA Voting process is a stringent and methodical procedure that is closely monitored by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the official auditors for the event. The popular category nominations are put up on online for the global audience to participate in the voting process.

Around a thousand people on average from the film industry from directors to spot boys come in each year to vote at the weekend.

IIFA Advisory Board member& Producer Manmohan Shetty said, “IIFA has grown into an event of repute over the last 9 years. This year, being the 10th year of IIFA, the celebrations will be bigger! At the IIFA voting weekend is the only Awards where the entire film Industry comes to vote. The Technical Award winners and the Popular Award nominations are derived from this voting weekend.”

Actor Arjun Rampal added, “The IIFA Voting process is a very credible one where the entire film industry comes in to vote over a Weekend only to learn the results at the main Awards night. I have visited IIFA before and have even played at the IIFA charity match. I am very excited about casting my vote this year especially because my movies may just be nominated.”

Farhan Akthar said, “I have visited the IIFA’s before and am extremely hopeful that ‘Rock On’ will be nominated for the tenth year IIFA Awards. The entire cast will be on hand to cast our votes at the voting weekend as will many members of the film fraternity.”

The cast of Rock On will come in to vote for their film and their favorites from 2008 on the first day of the voting weekend.

David Dhavan said, “I have been to several IIFA’s and have enjoyed myself more with each year. I have even showcased my movies there like Partner. I have also cast my vote for IIFA several times and will be doing so this year as well for the biggest IIFA so far.”