Fifth day of appeal hearing at the EC today

The fifth day of appeal hearings at the Election Commission (EC) regarding the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliament elections took place on Wednesday, 14 January. The hearings, which began at 10:00 a.m., are scheduled to continue until 5:00 p.m. today.

A total of 645 appeal applications have been submitted to the EC challenging the decisions of returning officers who rejected or questioned candidates’ nomination papers. For today’s session, appeals numbered 281 to 380 have been scheduled for hearing.

The appeal process commenced on Saturday and has been conducted over four days so far. During this period, a significant number of candidates have successfully had their nominations reinstated:

According to the revised schedule for the 13th general elections, the appeal hearings will continue until 18 January. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is 20 January, after which returning officers will finalise and publish the list of candidates on 21 January, along with the allocation of election symbols.

The official campaign period is set to begin on 22 January and will continue until 10 February at 7:30 a.m. Polling day is scheduled for 12 February, starting at 7:30 a.m. and continuing until 4:30 p.m.

The ongoing appeal process is crucial in ensuring transparency and fairness in the electoral process, as candidates whose nominations were initially rejected seek reconsideration. Observers note that the EC has been conducting these hearings with strict adherence to legal procedures, reflecting the institution’s commitment to upholding democratic norms.