EC restores candidacy of 72 more aspirants

Election Commission (EC) today declared 73 nomination appeals valid, allowing 72 more aspirants to regain their candidacy for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

On the fifth day of hearings against returning officers’ decisions, the EC reviewed 100 appeals.

Of these, 73 were approved, 17 rejected, and 10 were kept pending, said EC's Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed at the EC headquarters in Dhaka this evening.

Over the past five days, the EC has heard 380 appeals, approving 277 and rejecting 81, while 23 remain pending for further review.

The hearings, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and four other commissioners, began on January 10 and will continue until January 18.

When asked about allegations that the government is campaigning for the referendum and whether it violates the Referendum Ordinance, the EC Secretary responded: “Ask those who are campaigning. Why are you asking me?”

As of today, 275 aspirants have regained candidacy through the appeals process.

Earlier, on January 4, the EC declared 1,842 nomination papers valid and 723 invalid across 300 constituencies.