EC declares nomination of Dhaka-9 independent candidate Tasnim Jara valid

The Election Commission (EC) has declared the nomination paper of Tasnim Jara, an independent candidate for Dhaka-9, valid.

The decision came today around 12:30pm following a hearing of her appeal before the commission.

On January 3, nomination papers of  Tasnim Jara for the Dhaka-9 constituency (Khilgaon, Sobujbagh and Mugda) have been rejected by the returning officer following scrutiny.

Explaining the reason for the rejection, Jara said independent candidates are required to submit signatures from one percent of the total voters in the constituency. 

“We submitted more than the required number, with around 200 additional signatures,” she said. 

The Election Commission randomly selected 10 voters for verification; eight were confirmed, while two were found not to be registered voters of Dhaka-9. One of these voters lived in Khilgaon, outside the constituency, and another’s National Identity Card indicated an address beyond Dhaka-9.

Jara also noted that the Election Commission does not provide a mechanism for candidates to verify the constituency status of their signatories.

On January 5, she filed an appeal with the EC challenging the cancellation of her nomination papers for the 13th National Election, scheduled for 12 February, and intends to continue the legal process.

Jara, who recently resigned from the National Citizen Party (NCP), received support from voters during the nomination filing. Within a day and a half, nearly 5,000 voters voluntarily signed in her favour, with supporters setting up booths and volunteering to help the campaign.