Today is the last day to withdraw the candidature of valid candidates who have submitted nominations for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad Elections. Symbols will be allocated to the final candidates on Monday (December 18) after the withdrawal. Then the voting campaign will officially begin.
On Sunday (December 17) from 10 am to 4 pm, candidates can withdraw their candidature by applying to the returning officer.
EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said that 2,716 nomination papers were filed for 300 seats. Of these, 731 were canceled by the Returning Officers during scrutiny. And in the scrutiny of Returning Officers, there were 1 thousand 985 valid candidates.
EC Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam said 35 appeals were filed against the acceptance of nomination papers by the Returning Officers. And there were 525 appeals against the cancellation, out of which 560 appeals were filed.
He said, in six days (December 10 to 15), the commission has granted 280 appeals against the rejected appeals. That is, 280 candidates have returned. And out of 35 acceptance appeals, five were allowed or five were rejected, two appeals were dismissed, 28 were rejected. Thus, after the appeal hearing in the EC, the total number of valid candidates stands at 2,260. But this is not the final number.
EC officials said two benches have already been constituted in the High Court. There can be an appeal against the decision of the EC. It may decrease or increase the number of valid candidates.
According to the schedule, the last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 17. Even if the candidature is withdrawn on this day, the total number of valid candidates will decrease. Symbols will be allotted among the final candidates on December 18. Candidates can campaign till 8 am on January 5 with the symbol. On the other hand, the voting for the JS will be held on January 7.