183 appeals lodged with EC over candidature

A total of 141 petitions have been lodged with the Election Commission (EC) on the second day (December 6), challenging returning officers' (ROs) decisions over rejection and acceptance of nomination papers submitted by aspirants to contest in the upcoming general elections slated for January 7, 2024.

Of the 141 appeals, 138 aspirants, whose candidacy were cancelled by ROs, have appealed to get back their candidacy while three petitions were lodged challenging the acceptance of the candidacy, Joint Secretary (legal) of the EC Secretariat Md Mahbubur Rahman Sarker told reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban here.

With today's 141 appeals, the total number stood at 183 as 42 aspirants have appealed to get back their candidacy on Tuesday, he said.

Of the appeals, 23 were lodged from Dhaka region while 16 from Cumilla, nine from Chattogram, six from Faridpur, four from Sylhet, 19 from Mymensingh, six from Barishal, 18 from Khulna, 26 from Rajshahi and 14 from Rangpur regions were filed Wednesday.

As per the EC schedule, petitions were submitted from 10am to 4pm as the process will continue till December 9.

Appeals will be disposed of between December 10 and December 15.

A total of 2,716 aspirants submitted nomination papers to vie in the upcoming election. Of them, 1,985 nomination papers were accepted and 731 were cancelled by ROs during the scrutiny.

The last date for withdrawing candidature is December 17 while the ROs will distribute election symbols among candidates on December 18.

/KN/