The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday declared 1,842 candidates valid and rejected the nomination papers of 723 aspirants following the completion of the five-day scrutiny process across the country’s 300 parliamentary constituencies.
According to EC statistics, the scrutiny of nomination papers began on December 30 and concluded on Sunday, with returning officers examining a total of 2,568 nomination submissions filed ahead of the December 29 deadline for the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections.
During the scrutiny, returning officers accepted the nomination papers of 1,842 contestants, while rejecting 723 for various legal and procedural reasons, including discrepancies in documents, loan defaults, criminal cases, and non-compliance with electoral laws.
The Election Commission also said that the scrutiny process ended without examining three nomination papers submitted in the name of late BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for the Feni-1, Bogura-7 and Dinajpur-3 constituencies.
Earlier, a large number of aspirants from different political parties, alliances and as independents had filed nomination papers, reflecting intense competition in several constituencies.
Following the scrutiny, aggrieved candidates now have the opportunity to appeal against the decisions of returning officers within the stipulated time. The EC will dispose of appeals before publishing the final list of candidates.
The commission is expected to announce the final list of valid candidates after the appeal process and subsequent withdrawals, paving the way for the formal start of election campaigns ahead of polling.