Final Appeals Hearings Conclude, Nominations Close Tomorrow

The appeal hearings against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers for the upcoming national parliamentary elections entered their ninth and final day today at the Election Commission (EC) headquarters in Agargaon. Saturday marked the eighth day of proceedings, during which a total of 112 appeals were resolved. Today, the EC will hear the remaining appeals, covering serial numbers 611 to 645, as well as other pending cases.

The EC has announced that tomorrow, Monday, will be the final day for candidates to withdraw their nominations. Following this, the Commission will assign symbols to the confirmed candidates on Tuesday. Electoral campaigning is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

During Saturday’s session, 43 candidates had their nominations reinstated, while 37 appeals were rejected. Of the rejected appeals, 13 contested previous nomination cancellations, and 24 opposed the acceptance of nominations. In addition, two appeals against accepted nominations were approved. As a result, a total of 15 candidates saw their nominations officially annulled that day. Among those whose appeals were rejected, two candidates were absent during the hearing. Furthermore, nine appeals were withdrawn and 19 were deferred for subsequent hearings.

Over the eight days of appeals, 397 candidates successfully regained their nominations, while 145 candidates lost their chance to contest after the EC deemed their papers invalid.

Saturday’s eighth-day hearings were held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the EC auditorium, with a short recess. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A. M. M. Nasir Uddin presided over the proceedings alongside four other election commissioners. Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed and officials from the EC legal division were also present.

The following table summarises the eighth day of appeal hearings:

Between 30 December and 4 January, returning and assistant returning officers had reviewed 2,568 nomination papers, approving 1,842 and rejecting 723. Three nominations submitted on behalf of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia were excluded from consideration due to her passing.

Analysis of the EC’s preliminary review indicates that most independent candidates were rejected for failing to meet the minimum 1% support threshold. Other reasons for rejection included duplicate applications, inability to verify voter information, missing certificates, incomplete returns, and absent magistrate signatures on affidavits.

From 5 to 9 January, candidates were allowed to appeal against the acceptance or rejection of nominations. A total of 645 appeals were submitted across ten regional booths in the EC premises, with several challenging the acceptance of nominations.

According to the EC schedule, the appeals process concludes today, followed by the nomination withdrawal deadline tomorrow. Symbols will be allocated on Wednesday, with election campaigns commencing the same day. Campaigning may continue until 10 February at 7:30 a.m., while voting for the general election and referendum is set for 12 February from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.