National Election: EC declares 61 more candidates valid

The Election Commission yesterday declared 61 more aspirants as valid contenders after hearing 98 appeals filed by aggrieved aspirants

With 61 new aspirants, a total of 168 hopefuls got back their candidacy in the first three days after the EC on Sunday started hearing and disposing of the appeals submitted against the cancellation or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers (ROs), reports UNB.

On Tuesday, the commission headed by CEC Kazi Habibul Awal turned down 35 petitions and kept its decisions over two petitions pending following hearing at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.

The EC has so far heard 291 appeals in the first three days and made its decisions over 276 petitions and kept the decisions regarding 15 pending. Nine petitioners did not turn up in the hearing.

The commission is hearing and disposing of the petitions from December 10 to 15 as a total of 561 aggrieved aspirants challenged the ROs' decisions.

Earlier, a total of 2,716 aspirants including 747 independents submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies throughout the country to contest the 12th national parliamentary election.

Most of the nomination papers were rejected on three grounds -- mismatch in the one percent voters' signatures submitted by independent aspirants, loans and utility bills defaults, and dual citizenship.