By : Siam Sarower Jamil
Dhaka, Dec. 3
Returning officers of Bangladesh on Sunday cancelled 786 nomination papers, out of total 3,065, submitted by contestants in 300 constituencies to contest the 11th parliamentary elections. Former prime minister and jailed opposition leader Khaleda Zia is one of them. She has been declared ineligible to contest this month’s national elections over two graft convictions,
According to the factsheet of the Election Commission Secretariat, a total of 2,279 nomination papers were declared valid while 786 invalid during the scrutiny by 66 returning officers across the country.
However, the aspirants whose nomination papers were cancelled can file appeals with the Election Commission by December 5.
“If anyone becomes aggrieved with the decisions of the returning officers, he/she will have to lodge appeal with the appeal authority of the EC within three days after the scrutiny,” said EC joint secretary Farhad Ahammad Khan.
Subsequently, the EC will dispose of the appeals following hearing within the next three days — December 6-8, he said.
The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is December 9 and the electoral symbols will be allocated on December 10.
Some 3,065 aspirants submitted nomination papers in the country’s 300 constituencies within the deadline that expired on November 30 to take part in the national election slated for December 30.
Of the total 3,065 aspirants, 281 AL probable candidates submitted nomination papers in 264 constituencies, while 696 BNP contestants in 295 parliamentary seats, 233 Jatiya Party aspirants in 210 constituencies.
Besides, 498 independent aspirants also submitted nomination papers.
BNP fielded more than one candidate in most of the constituencies while AL in 17 and Jatiya Party in 23 constituencies.
But the parties will have to confirm their final candidates before the withdrawal of candidature in these parliamentary seats.